Titanium Knight
by SnowflakeShard
Summary: Imagine Zane being flung into a medieval fantasy realm and becomes fully human. He is stripped of his powers (again) and his spinjitzu. He no longer has the technology he had as a nindroid but his intelligence and logic are still available to him. In addition, PIXAL is transformed into a pixie! How will they ever get back to the realm of Ninjago?
1. Chapter 1

"Aaaaaah!" Zane cried as he was sent tumbling into a vortex. "Pixal! Get us out of here!"

"I'm trying! Nothing's working!" replied Pixal.

"Hold on!" replied Zane as he curled into a ball, hoping that the dreaded trip would be over soon. How'd they even get into this mess? Zane was just helping out in the tea farm when a vortex appeared out of nowhere and pulled him in. Zane heard his friends cry out his name in horror as he was sucked into the unknown. After what seemed like only five minutes, he landed on what seemed to be solid ground. When he came to, Zane started to dust himself. However, something felt off. When Zane looked at his hands, they were no longer titanium, but… flesh! He let out a scream.

"What's happened to me?" he thought. Then he remembered Pixal. "Pixal? Pixal! Where are you?" Zane looked around him. He noticed that all the sensors, as well as Pixal were no longer in his "monitor." All he could see was the thick trees and foliage that surrounded the area.

"Zane?" a little voice called out.

"Pixal? Is that you?" Zane asked.

"Yes. Where are you? I can't see anything in this tall grassland." Grassland? Zane wondered what Pixal meant when they were clearly in a forest.

"Keep talking. I'll find you." Zane instructed.

"I think I found _you._ " replied Pixal. "Look down."

Zane obliged. Sure enough, there was Pixal right below him. He knelt down and held out his hand, and Pixal cautiously jumped on.

"What's happened to me Zane?" asked Pixal. Her metal hair had been turned to silvery locks tied into a messy pony tail. Her robot chasis had been replaced with smooth fair skin and her purple robe had become a purple dress that hugged her frame well. Little wings also sprouted from her back.

"I don't know. You look like a little butterfly." Replied Zane.

"Nothing's computing, Zane. I cannot scan anything for some reason." Pixal continued.

Zane stood up. "Where do you think we are? Could this be one of the sixteen realms?"

"I don't think so." replied Pixal. "If that were true, we shouldn't look any different. This did not happen when we arrived at Cloud Kingdom."

"Perhaps we better get to higher ground to know our whereabouts." He set Pixal on his shoulder and tried to summon his elemental dragon. He waited, but nothing happened. "Why isn't it working?" He tried to blast ice from his palms. Nothing. "What's going on? My powers aren't working."

Pixal thought for a moment. "It appears that by coming to this realm, you are cut off from your connection with the Green Ninja as well as your powers."

"That makes sense." said Zane. "However, I wonder if my Spinjitzu still works." Zane set Pixal on a branch and readies himself. But when he spins, he immediately got dizzy and fell on his back.

"Zane! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Why didn't my Spinjitzu work?"

"By my observations, anything tangible or concrete that does not belong here cannot be done in this realm. However, anything intangible and abstract, such as knowledge and memories are retained."

"So that means, it's like I am back to when Sensei Wu first found me."

"I'm sorry Zane."

"No. It's alright. We will find a way to get back to Ninjago. No matter how long it takes. Pixal, can you use your wings to fly?" Pixal tries to flap her wings, but ends up falling on Zane's hands.

"I believe I need more practice before I can fly at such altitudes." Zane puts Pixal back on his shoulder. "It's alright. We'll just try walking out of the forest." Then choosing a certain path based on the sun's position, Zane starts walking, while singing, " _99,999_ _bottles of tea on the wall, 99,999 bottles of tea.._."

By the time Pixal and Zane reach the edge of the forest, Zane actually finished the song.

"I didn't realize how lonely it was to sing that song by yourself."

"Did you want me to sing with you?" asked Pixal.

"No. I didn't mean it like that. I guess I just miss my friends."

"We will find a way to return to Ninjago, Zane."

"I know we will." They both look up. The sun was setting. "We better find shelter. Fast."

"Look! Over there!" Pixal pointed into the distance. There was a village not far from the forest. "Maybe we can get some food and lodging there."

"You're getting hungry?" asked Zane in disbelief.

"Since I'm no longer a droid, I noticed that my stomach is beginning to ache. Isn't yours?"

Zane clutched his own stomach which gave a large rumble in response. "Yes."

As Zane approached town, the clouds started to dull. Suddenly, heavy rain began to pour down on them. Zane rushed into town but no door was open to them. Then they noticed a shop manned by a young woman who was trying to close the shop with tarps to protect it from the water.

"Perhaps we can get help from there." Zane rushed to the shop and helped the girl set the tarps in place.

"Let me help you."

"Thanks. These things get stuck every once in a while." replied the girl. She was wearing a hood to keep herself dry.

When they were done, the woman removed her hood. Zane looked at her and was almost thrown off balance.

"Nya?"

"Uhm how do you know my name?"

"Nothing. Nothing." Replies Zane. "You just reminded me of someone I know who has the same name."

"Must be some uncanny resemblance we share."

"You done in there, Nya? I need some help with the furnace." A third voice called out.

"Just finishing up Kai." Nya responded as she tied down the last tarp. "Thank you for your help, Sir…"

"Just Zane's fine. And this is Pixal." Zane gestured to the fairy on his shoulder. Pixal waved at Nya and Nya eyes grow wide as discs.

"Wow! You have a pixie with you? How'd you manage to tame one?" Nya looked at Pixal intently and began firing Zane with questions.

"Where did you get her? What kind of magic does she do? Where can I get my own pixie like that?"

"Whoa calm down Nya. I myself do not yet know of her capabilities."

"Sorry. I'm just very interested in magical creatures is all. I'm training to become a mage so I can enter Master Wu's academy for wizards and mages."

"Master Wu?"

"Yes. He's the Grand Master of all things magical. Some say he's a wizard that's lived for thousands of years. But that's highly unlikely since his brother is the governor of this town."

"His brother Garmadon?"

"Yup. He's a really good governor. Takes care of everyone around here."

"And his son?"

"Who? Lloyd? Well, he's Lloyd. He's supposed to be the next governor after Lord Garmadon, but he likes to spend his time on adventures. He's currently training to be knight."

"I see."

"Nya! Where are you? I've been asking for you five minutes ago! Good thing I was able to put out the furnace by myself. " The owner of the voice finally came out of the back room. "Who's this?"

"Oh. This is Zane. He just helped me put down the tarps before the shop got wet."

Zane bowed in front of Kai. "I hope I am not disturbing anything. I was just looking for a place to rest for the night."

"Relax will you?" replied Kai. "It's not like you'll get in trouble for helping out. I'm Kai. I run this place." Kai extended his hand and Zane shook it.

" _You_ run this place?" Nya asked as she put her hands on her hips.

"Well yeah." Kai countered "I'm the one making the weapons around here, which, may I remind you, are sold to pay for your tuition in magic school?"

"Yeah, but I'm the one who helps the customer get what he wants, as well as get this shop organized and clean."

As Zane watches the two siblings argue, Pixal whispers to him, "Not much seems to have changed."

"Yes. Different realm, same people."

After the heated argument dies down, Kai turns to Zane again. "So, you were looking for a place to stay, huh? You can stay with us if you want. It's not much but it's better than nothing."

"I appreciate your offer Kai."

"Alright. Now that introductions are done, let's head to the kitchen. Dinner's almost ready." Nya called to them.

The next morning, Zane helped around the shop, whilst learning everything he could about the realm he was in from Nya.

"The father of Lord Garmadon and Master Wu started this town, and when he passed, he left it in the charge of Lord Garmadon. Master Wu decided to start a school in training wizards and mages, since he's been studying the use of magic in battle ever since he was young. Lord Garmadon on the other hand also started to train knights under his disposal. Jamanakai village has grown so big and prosperous he decided to add up security. Knights patrol the boarders every day and they often get their weapons from us."

"Speaking of which," Kai added, as he puts a long piece of metal on an anvil and starts hammering it. "I have to get this heavy scythe done in an hour. I got a letter that General Cole was coming to pick this up himself today."

"General Cole?" asked Zane.

"Yeah," added Nya. He's known for his brute strength and tactical skills. He keeps Jamanakai safe from outside invaders. He's also the one training Lloyd to become a knight right now."

"Really? Do you know anyone by the name of Jay?"

"Jay the nobleman?" asked Nya.

"Yeah. We know him. Practically the whole village knows that loudmouth," added Kai.

"What does he do?" Zane continued.

"Well, he basically tries to invent things." Nya answered. "His father runs a mining industry and we buy our metals from them. He thinks of ways on how to make cooler and more efficient weapons and artillery. More often than not, though, they end up failures. But since his family's rich, he keeps on trying. It's a wonder they haven't gone bankrupt yet with all the tries he's done."

"He doesn't ask you to make his inventions?"

"Oh no. That only happens if it's the traditional kind of weapons." Kai said. "But if it requires tinkering, that's beyond me. Besides, I can't stand his prattling." Kai continued to hammer the scythe until it was ready for cooling. Once it was cooled, he then polished it and put it in its case. Zane and Pixal watched with wonder.

"Maybe if he hadn't become a ninja, he would have been such a successful blacksmith," thought Zane.

After Kai finishes the scythe, he wipes the sweat of his brow. "Phew. All done. And customer's not even here yet."

Nya comes out of the kitchen and hands Kai and Zane a drink. "Not bad. It's the best one I've seen you do Kai."

"Really? Then maybe I should keep it for display." Kai boasted.

"If you do that, General Cole will hand you your tail, if you had one," Nya countered.

While the three were laughing at this, the noise of thundering hoof steps invaded their ears. Zane looks around and spots two horsemen coming their way. The bigger one was riding in a jet black horse and was clad in full armor from head to foot. His companion was a lean youth with light blonde hair aboard a dun horse. They stopped right outside of the blacksmith's shop.

Kai stepped out of the shop to meet the two horsemen. "Good afternoon, General."

The rider of the black horse dismounts his steed and removed his helmet. He then brushed his disheveled ebony hair which almost covered his bushy eyebrows. "I told you Kai, you don't have to call me that. It makes me feel old."

"I know." Kai said. "And that's precisely why I do it."

Cole gave a small groan and composed himself. "Is my scythe ready?"

"Yeah, just give me a moment to fetch it." Kai replied as he heads back indoors to fetch Cole's new weapon.

Cole's companion then dismounts his steed. "Why would you want a scythe, Cole? Aren't you better off with a sword?"

"I wanted to try something different," Cole replied. "Besides, scythes pack a mean swing in the battle field. It'll be like my signature weapon."

"Whatever you say," the boy replies. "But when am I going to get my signature weapon?"

"Patience, Lloyd. When you're ready, we'll know what kind of you weapon you'll use, and when you'll use it."

Nya then comes out of the shop bringing refreshments. "Hey Cole. Hey Lloyd. Cold drinks?"

Both take it from Nya, thanking her. "How's magic training coming Nya?" asked Lloyd.

"It's coming along okay. Maybe I'll be able to pass the entrance test tomorrow with my new spells."

Not long after, Kai exited the shop holding the scythe. "Here you go." He handed it to Cole, who began to test it by swinging it around and getting the feel of it.

"Not bad Kai. You've become quite the master. Here's the rest of the payment." Cole then gave Kai a sack filled with gold coins. "Thanks Cole. Anytime. And Lloyd. When it's your turn to get a weapon, feel free to drop by."

"Sure. That would depend on Cole, however." Lloyd said.

"Lloyd, why don't you ride ahead on the southern boarder? That's where our next patrol is," instructed Cole.

"Sure thing" replied Lloyd as he rode away.

"Hey Kai. I need to talk to you," said Cole as he pulled Kai aside.

"Sure, what is it?"

"I don't normally tell this to others, but I think a war is coming."

"A war? With who?"

"The Serpentine tribes."

"Those cult tribes that worship snakes? Why would they want to wage war against the land?"

"I think it's not the land, but Jamanakai village in particular. Word has it that Chen the warlord has sided with the Serpentine tribes. They say he wants to conquer Jamanakai just to get back at Lord Garmadon."

"Why? What's Garmadon done to him?"

"I hear they had a history."

"Where'd you get this information? And why are you telling me this?"

"I'm the general here. I have eyes and ears everywhere. And because you're my friend Kai. I want to make sure you and your family is safe when this war does go down. And… I have a proposition."

"Which is?"

"Join my army. Or at least join its reserves. If ever war does break out, I know you'll be there fighting with me. You're a great swordsman. Even though you're a blacksmith, the fire of a warrior burns bright inside you. We could use a man like you in the field."

Kai smiled at this. "Thanks for the offer Cole, but I can't. I promised my father I'd look after the shop and Nya. Besides, why would I go to war if my services are better needed here? Not saying that I'm a coward—which I'm not—but if I don't forge weapons for the army, who will?"

Cole gave a sigh. "Ok. If that's your decision, I respect that." He then mounts his horse and puts on his helmet. As Cole prepares to ride away, he looks back at Kai, who was walking towards his shop. "If you ever change your mind, you'll know where to find me," Cole called out before he disappeared out of sight.

Kai entered the shop's back door, where Zane and Nya were waiting for him.

"What was that all about? "Asked Nya. "It looked like you and Cole were talking about something pretty deep."

"It was nothing."

"Kai. I know when something's bothering you. What's wrong? You can tell me."

"I'll go into my room so not to disturb you two," Zane said.

"No, you can stay Zane," replied Kai. He then sat across Nya and Zane.

"Cole just asked me to join his army."

"Really?" asked a surprised Nya. "Why?"  
"He said that a war might be coming. Word has it that the Serpentine tribes have allied themselves with warlord Chen and they're coming to invade Jamanakai."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I wouldn't join his ranks. I have to take care of you, and our shop. Besides, all their weapons come from us. We need to be in business when this war happens."

"But my entrance test is tomorrow!" said Nya. "How can I help you when I am busy with magic school?"

Kai thought for a minute. Then he looked to Zane. "Zane, I know we just met you and this might be too big to ask of you, but, will you help us. If this war does happen, will you help us keep this shop running?"

"Yes, of course I will."

"Thank you so much Zane. We owe you one." Nya said.

That night, Zane couldn't sleep. He was thinking how long he was stuck in that realm and how he was ever going to get back. Perhaps he could visit Master Wu. If he is as powerful as they say he is, maybe he can help them get home. But what of the potential war with the Serpentine and Chen? Shouldn't he stay until that war was over before solving his own problems? He already promised to help out in the shop, he can't turn back now. He turns over to see Pixal already sleeping in a small basket with a cloth as its cushion, courtesy of Nya. He made up his mind. He was going to help them. A ninja would never abandon those in need. After making his peace with the matter, he drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! I'm so sorry it took me a while to update this story. I've been very busy with school lately. I worked on this on multiple occasions but I couldn't get the desired outcome until now.**

 **I would also like to thank those who sent me reviews! I** **really appreciated them! You guys really encouraged me to continue writing this story! And now without further ado, lets get on with the story. :)**

* * *

Chapter 2

The next day was a busy morning. It was Nya's entrance exam. Everyone packed their things to head for Master Wu's academy for wizards and mages. Since Jamanakai was a village near the mountains, the academy was situated within the mountain itself. Nya led the way with Kai and Zane following and Pixal sitting on Zane's shoulder. They finally came to stone stairway which led to grand stone doors that encased within the mountainside. The doors looked heavy and unguarded.

"How will we get in?" asked Pixal.

"Leave that to me," Nya replied.

Nya stepped forward and put her hand forward facing the stone doors. " _Nepo rof eht cigam fontedut!_ " After Nya said this, the stone doors slowly began to open, and the three made their way in. Right after they got in, the stone doors closed and returned to its rightful position. Once they looked at what was now in front of them, they awed at the sight before them. It wasn't a damp cave dripping with water from the ceiling and inhabited by bugs and all sorts of creeps. It was a valley with trees that danced with the wind and birds that flew across the sky. The smell of crisp air greeted their noses. A walkway made of cobblestone lead to the academy. The three then began walking as they admired their surroundings.

"This place is more amazing than I thought!" exclaimed Kai.

"And Master Wu owns all of this land?" asked Zane.

"I think so," Nya answered. "After Lord Garmadon took charge of Jamanakai, much of it was still uncultivated soil. When Master Wu decided to put up a school, they both agreed that he use this area. From what I heard from the mages who've already been here, this place is still a cave. However, Master Wu cast a spell on it that allowed it to become the valley it is now."

"Is that why the place is guarded by that stone gate?" asked Pixal.

Nya nodded. "Everyone knows that only a magic wielder can open the gates. When I submitted my letter to the academy, they showed me the spell on how to open the gate. No one can be seen guarding the gate because the gate is enchanted to sense a threat whenever it is close by. I don't know what happens when someone uninvited tries to get in, but I'm sure it ain't pretty."

When they reached the academy itself, they found that it too was a beautiful site. The entrance was indicated by a black and intricately designed iron gate with the words "Master Wu's Academy of Magic Arts" on top. A beautifully paved path walk led to the mansion with flowerbeds aligning with it on each side. . A neatly manicured lawn graced the estate. The path walk terminated at a beautiful fountain before meeting with the mansion itself. The house itself was a grand site. It was at least three stories high with casement windows were neatly aligned with the house. Two sets of grand steps facing opposite sides were situated before the entrance porch and its big wooden doors. Nya went up the porch and gently knocked on one of the doors. The door opened and a boy came out to greet them.

"May help you?" he asked. He wore round glasses and had shaggy ginger hair.

"My name is Nya. My entrance exam is scheduled today." Nya handed him her letter.

"Oh I see. Come this way," the boy replied. "I'll take you to Master Wu immediately. I'm Gene by the way."

"You're awfully young to be training to be a wizard, Gene," said Kai.

"Not really," Gene replied, "According to Master Wu, no age is too young to start learning."

As went further inside the mansion, they soon saw people of different ages roam the halls. There were children, teens, and even middle aged students. One student, in particular, caught Kai's eye. She had red hair tied into a pony tail. Her emerald eyes didn't seem to look at him as she made her way to a room along with several other students. Kai was snapped out his trance when the group stopped walking.

"We're here. Please wait while I talk to the Master," instructed Gene as he entered Wu's office and softly shut the door.

As the group waited, Nya began pacing around. "What if I don't get accepted? What if I fail? What if I don't have what it takes to be a mage?"

"Nya, calm down!" Kai grabbed Nya's shoulders. "You can do this. Those stone doors wouldn't open for us if it didn't sense your inner potential. You've been practicing for weeks. You got this."

Nya hugged her brother. "Thanks, Kai. Thanks for always watching out for me."

"Now show that Master Wu what you've got!"

The door finally opened and Gene called them in. Nya, Kai and Zane stepped inside and Gene left the room so that they could talk with the Master. In front of them was a man with a long white beard. He wore a pointed hat that seemed to be brown but had faded away through time. He was clothed in a beige and white robe that had the lotus flower as part of its design. He had a staff that was balancing itself in the room. His eyes spoke of wisdom and experience.

"Good morning Nya. Good morning Kai," Master Wu greeted. The siblings bowed in respect. "No need to be so formal." His eyes then shifted to Zane. "And who might this be? I've never seen you in these parts, young man."

Zane took a deep breath. "I'm not from around her, Sir. My name is Zane. And this is Pixal."

Master Wu stroked his long white beard. "Hmmm. Interesting you have a pixie with you. Such rare creatures they are. How did you manage to tame one?"

"I didn't tame her. We sort of found each other and have become friends ever since."

"Hmmm. I see. Well, if there's anything I can help you with Zane, feel free to ask me. Now, back to the matter at hand. Nya, please come forward." Nya nervously obeyed. At this, Master Wu laughed.

"Breathe, Nya. There is no need to be nervous. Sit down." Nya calmed down and sat across Master Wu who gave her a cup of tea. Master Wu then gestured Kai and Zane to sit on the couch that was across the room.

The interview then began. Master Wu began asking Nya why she wanted to learn how to use magic, what magic she specialized in, and how old she was when she started learning on her own.

"I started learning magic when I was six years old," Nya began. "My mother was a magic wielder who specialized in aquatic magic. She had this old book on aquatic spells and knew a bit of other basic spells as well. I worked my way from there. I want to learn magic so that I can be like her and I want to make something of myself with it."

Master Wu listened patiently as Nya told him her story. Kai and Zane also paid close attention to the two's conversation. After the longest fifteen minutes of Nya's life, Master Wu finally stood up. "I've heard what I've needed to hear. It's time for your entrance test. Follow me."

The Nya stood and followed the old man out of the office with Kai, Zane and Pixal behind her. Master Wu led them to a door at the end of the hallway. When he opened it, it appeared to be the fields behind the mansion. More beautifully paved roads lead to different sections of the estate: the stables, the training grounds, and a huge lake with a serene waterfall behind it.

"This place is indeed beautiful," Pixal commented.

"It really is," replied Zane. "I'm starting to forget that this place is still a cave."

Master Wu led them near the bottom of the waterfall and turned to face the group. "I'm afraid Nya's going to have to do this part on her own. If you don't mind, Kai and Zane, please wait in the fields until the exam is over. I want Nya to be at her full concentration."

"Master Wu," Zane spoke. If I may, there are questions that I was hoping to ask you. Would you consider sparing me a moment of your time later today?"

The old man thought for a moment. He then nodded in approval. "Yes. I will talk with you after Nya's entrance exam. Now, please excuse us."

The two men obliged and started walking away from the waterfall. Nya watched them leave as Master Wu placed a huge glass dome above them, making them invisible from the outside world.

"Your exam starts now. Show me what you can do."

As Kai and Zane walked to the fields, Kai spoke up. "Do you think she'll be okay in there?"

Zane put a hand on Kai's shoulder. "She'll be fine, Kai. You just have to believe in her."

Kai smiled. "Thanks, Zane. Hey, a while ago, you said you needed to talk to Master Wu about something. What was that about?"

"Oh, I have some questions that I think Master Wu can help me with. Not that you're information wasn't helpful, Kai. But there are things I need to know. Maybe Master Wu has the answers we've been looking for."

"You're a weird one; I'll give you that," said Kai. "But I think I understand. I hope you do find what you're looking for. Don't forget about our agreement though."

Zane laughed. "Of course I won't."

They stopped walking in the fields and Kai laid down on the soft grass, letting the cool breeze brush through his spiky hair. Zane sat down beside him and began admiring the scenery. Not long after, he felt a soft touch on his cheek. It was Pixal. "If you don't mind, I would like to test my wings again."

Zane nodded and held out his hand for Pixal to stand on. Pixal then flapped her wings as hard as she could. She was able to hover for a few seconds before coming back down again. She repeated this process again and again until she got the hang of it. She then tried to fly at higher altitudes while practicing her steering and turning.

"Hey Zane," Kai started once more. "What's wrong with Pixal? Why can't she fly? Was she injured or something?"

Zane wasn't sure what to answer. Should he tell Kai the real reason why they were here? Nindroid's don't lie. But he wasn't a nindroid anymore, right? Did he have the capacity to lie, now that he was human? Even if it seemed that lying was a better option in order to get home with few complications, he didn't want to lie to his friends. But before he could say anything, Pixal took the reins of the conversation. "I only started to learn how to fly recently. I never used my wings until now because of confidential reasons."

Kai shrugged. "Alright. If you say so."

Zane gave Pixal a relieved look. PIxal didn't lie. She said the truth without being too detailed about it. After a few minutes, they heard footsteps behind them. As they turned their heads, they see Nya and Master Wu walking towards them. Nya was wearing a huge smile on her face. When she saw her brother looking at her she immediately ran to him and gave him a hug. "I did it! I'm in!"

Kai returned the hug with a hearty chuckle. "Haha! I told you you could do it!"

"I'll start tomorrow morning. I guess that means I should pack up when we get home."

Kai gave her a noogie on the head. "Hey, that's alright. You're one step closer to becoming the greatest water mage in Jamanakai."

Master Wu approached them. "You're sister is very talented magic wielder Kai. She will become a great mage."

"See?" Kai said to Nya. "Master Wu even thinks the same."

"Come. Let us return to the mansion," said Master Wu. "One of my students shall give Nya and Kai a tour of the place, while Zane and I talk."

The four returned to Master Wu's office. Master Wu immediately sat on his chair and pulled out some parchment and a quill. He then started scribbling on it. Once he was done, he poured some hot wax on the parchment's lower right corner and placed a seal on it. The paper then began to float before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Moments later, a red haired girl entered the room. She wore the same emerald eyes that captured Kai earlier this morning. "Good morning. I've been informed that I've summoned?" she asked.

"Yes, yes. Come in," Master Wu replied. "Nya, this is Skylor, one of my best students. She will be handling your tour."

Pixal then stood up and whispered in Zane's ear. "Isn't she Chen's daughter? What's she doing here?"

Zane just looked at her and shrugged. He then observed Skylor, noticing that she seemed cold, serious, and reserved, unlike like her Ninjago counterpart. "A question perhaps to be answered another time," he whispered to Pixal.

Skylor turned to Nya. "Hello. Welcome to Master Wu's Academy." She held out her hand and Nya shook it. "Follow me." As Skylor led her out the door, Kai spoke up.

"Uhm if you don't mind, I would like to join the tour. See what else this place got." His face was slightly flustered. Skylor just nodded while Nya rolled her eyes.

As soon as the door closed once more, Wu turned his attention to Zane. "So what was it that you needed to speak to me about, Zane?" He sat on his desk and then gestured Zane to take his own seat.

Zane thought for a moment. How was he going to break it to this man, the man whom he knew was a counterpart of his Sensei, his mentor? Was this Wu anything like the Wu he knew in Ninjago? Could he really help Zane get back home? What if he couldn't? What should he do when that happens? Zane pushed all these questions aside and started his tale.

"This may seem strange, but I don't belong in this realm. I am from another world called Ninjago. Pixal and I got sucked into this realm through a vortex that appeared out of nowhere. We were hoping ask you if you knew of any anomalies that have happened recently, or perhaps have some information on how to cross between realms."

Master Wu then began to stroking his long white beard once more. "Realm crossing is possible Zane. However, it requires a lot of magic as well as qualified people to do such a feat." Master Wu then stood up and pulled out some books and scrolls from his shelves. He opened each to sections that referred to other realms.

"This Ninjago. What is it like?" Wu inquired.

"It is a land of peace." Zane answered. "Ninjago is a vast place with cities, mountains, swamps and people from all walks of life."

"Is magic present there?"

"Yes. Magic exists in Ninjago. However, it is not a very common art. The most practiced arts however, are that of combat. I was among those who studied those arts to help defend Ninjago from evil doers."

Master Wu continued to listen to Zane while browsing through reading materials to see if any of the mentioned realms fit Zane's description. However, none of them provided enough information that he needed to send Zane back to his world. At this Master Wu sighed. "I am sorry Zane. I don't have the answers that you seek. Zane bowed his head and Pixal put her hand on Zane's cheek to comfort him.

"However," Master Wu continued, "If you'd let me, I will go to my brother and look for answers in his own archives. Perhaps he has some information regarding this matter."

"It's alright Master Wu. I'm not going anytime soon anyway."

"Interesting. Do you already have a place to stay?"

"I'm staying with Kai and Nya at the moment."

"Excellent." Master Wu then took out a parchment and quill and handed them to Zane. "Please sign this."

Zane gave him a puzzled look. "This is how I will contact you once I find something."

Zane looked at Pixal, who just shrugged her shoulders. He then signed the parchment and handed it back to Wu. Wu again took out some hot wax and poured it on top of Zane's signature. Zane's signature then began to float off the paper and was engulfed by a bright light. When the light dimmed, a seal took its place and slowly set down.

"What is that?" asked Zane.

"Master Wu picked the seal up. "This is how I contact my students. The seal allows the paper to find the owner of the signature, no matter where they are. I will send word once I find something in my brother's archives."

"Thank you so much, Master Wu," Zane replied while standing up to give the old man a revered bow. "And I'm very sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all, Zane. Now, how about some tea?"

Meanwhile, somewhere in the mansion, Skylor's tour was still ongoing. So far she had shown the classrooms, laboratories, workrooms and dining room. She was then explaining about the dormitories and outdoor amenities. "…finally, the dormitories are on the east wing. The stables are only to be used when permitted by teaching personnel or possible emergencies. Any questions?"

"Nope," replied Nya. "I think I'm all set."

Skylor nodded. "Good. If you have no more questions, I'll be talking you back to the headmaster's office now."

As they walked back to Master Wu's office, Kai decided to speak once more. He hadn't said a word since the tour started, since Skylor's been talking the whole time and it seemed rude to interrupt her.

"Sooo," he began. "What magic do you specialize in?"

"Elemental magic," Skylor replied flatly. She didn't even give him a second look.

"Wait," Nya asked surprised. "You mean you can control all sorts of elements?"

"Yes."

"That's so cool!" Nya exclaimed. "I didn't know a magic wielder can manipulate more than one element."

"There are some who can," Skylor continued. "But I can only control them one at a time. You just need to find what elements you are in tune with and work your way from there. But that doesn't mean you neglect the basic of spells, such as healing, teleportation and the like. What do you specialize in?"

"Aquatic magic."

"I see. I guess that means any body of water, and even to a certain extent, ice, is yours to control?"

"I guess so. But I haven't tried turning water to ice yet or controlling ice for that matter. I'm still such a rookie."

Skylor stopped walking for a moment. She then turned to Nya and gave her a small smile. "That's ok. I was actually just like you before I came here."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was also an amateur before I enrolled in this school. I only knew how to manipulate fire and I thought that was all I could do. But after coming to Master Wu, I learned that there are so many spells worth learning. I was able to hone my skills and become who I am now. Don't ever doubt yourself because it'll only drag you down."

Nya smiled back as Skylor finally lightened up from her seemingly distant aura. Kai also didn't say a word after that. He seemed to enjoy simply looking at Skylor's green eyes and radiant smile.

The group had lunch in the mansion before heading home, courtesy of Master Wu. As they walked down the stone path at the mountainside, Zane asked, "How was the tour?"

"It was amazing." Nya said. "The mansion's even more amazing than I thought! And Skylor was pretty amazing too. I thought she was anti-social or something until she started talking. You really can't judge a book by its cover."

"And boy was she a looker," added Kai. The others all turned their heads to look at him.

"Uh what I mean is she's really smart and knows her magic. And she's got gorgeous eyes and…" Kai covered his mouth before he could say anymore.

At this Nya poked him. "Somebody's got a crush."

Kai glared at her while Zane and Pixal simply smiled at the interaction. Their conversation was then interrupted by a loud scream. As they looked up, they see blue blur with wings crash into the side of the mountain. The group immediately rushed to the crash site to see a man wearing a pair of wings made of fabric stretched over a wooden frame. The debris destroyed his contraption but he stood up unscathed and started dusting himself off.

"Totally meant to do that," the man replied.

"Seriously, Jay? Another flying contraption?" Nya said with a tone of sarcasm.

Jay turned around to see Zane, Nya and Kai. "Oh if it isn't the water monkey."

"What the? You watch what you're saying or I will freeze your face, you spoiled little rich boy!" Nya yelled back. Hadn't Kai restrained her, Nya's fist would have met Jay's nose.

"Freeze me? Please. The last time you tried to get at me was with a water whip," Jay retorted.

"You want a water whip, I'll give you a water whip!" Nya yelled back, still being restrained by Kai.

"Whatever!" Jay was about to salvage his broken wings when he saw Zane. "Uh, who's the new guy? Your boyfriend, Nya?"

"That's it!" Nya stepped on Kai's foot, causing Kai to let go of her to tend his now sore foot. Nya readied her hands and summoned water from her palms. The water formed into a balloon which she then threw at Jay. She did this again and again but Jay dodged each throw with ease. He hid behind one of the rocks to evade Nya's attacks.

"Mind telling her to stop, Kai?" Jay called out to Kai as he hid among the debris which was now becoming mud slush.

Kai held his hands up. "Hey, I'd rather not get blasted by water or suffer any more bruises right now."

Jay ran out of his hiding place, hoping to jump on the flight of stairs below. Nya saw him and prepared to fire, but somehow held back, allowing Jay to safely land on the ground below. When Jay got up, he looked back to see the group staring at him, with Nya still glaring daggers at him. He gave them a bow before running towards Jamanakai village.

* * *

 **So this is Chapter 2. If you're wondering about the spell Nya said in order to open the doors, it's just the these words in reverse: "open for the magic student," except that I merged the last two words and tweaked it a bit.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yes! I'm back! Also, I moved up the rating to T cuz I think there will be some mild (or not-so mild) violence in future chapters. Also, I recommend that if you haven't watched S6 of Ninjago, watch it first, because a character from that season will be making an appearance. Ok, me, hush. Enjoy!**

* * *

The trip back to the blacksmith shop was silent as Kai, Zane and Pixal watched a fuming Nya make her way to the front door while fishing the keys in her pocket.

"Okay, Nya," Kai started, "You need to calm down. You have to prepare for tomorrow, remember?"

Nya gave a loud sigh, "You're right." Nya opens the door and heads to her room. "Just call me if you need me." After that she closed the door, leaving an astonished Zane with Kai rubbing his temple.

"Kai, if I may, what happened between them?" asked Zane. "I've never seen Nya so angry."

"Let's just say they have a history," replied Kai. "We were good friends with Jay's family when we were kids. After our parents passed away, they're the ones that looked after us until we could stand on our own. Though I don't think it's my place to say what happened, I think it's something Nya must tell you herself."

"Alright. I won't ask about it anymore. I'm sensing whatever happened between them is something only they can fix."

Inside her room Nya was carefully putting everything she thought she would need in her knapsack. Her thoughts then started to wander back to their encounter with Jay earlier that afternoon. She lay on her bed and stared at the dim ceiling. Slowly, her vision faded to a time when all of them were still friends. Still happy. Before one incident ruined everything.

*Flashback*

The laughter of children filled the garden of Jay's home. A little boy with orange hair was running from a girl with black short hair. "Have at thee, dragon," The girl shouted as she pointed her wooden stick at the boy. A small light emulated from the stick and water splashed on the ground causing the boy to slip and fall. The boy slowly sat up holding his knee. He looked at the girl with cheeks flushed of embarrassment.

"That's not fair, Nya! You said you won't use magic!" The boy shouts. The little girl ran to the boy's side while trying not to laugh out loud.

"Sorry, Jay," Nya smiled as she shrugged her shoulders. "I honestly didn't mean it. Here." Nya placed her hand on Jay's knee. She whispered something under her breath. A small light appeared around Jay's knee and the small bruise disappeared. Jay looked in awe as he felt the pain instantly disappear. He looked up at Nya, who was beaming, obviously proud of her work.

"Thanks, Nya. Sorry for yelling at you."

"It's okay." Nya helped Jay up.

"Y'know, your healing spells never gets old," Jay complemented.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah, sure. Besides, your mom's the best water mage there is. No doubt you'll be like her when you grow up. Plus you're kind, pretty and smart."

Nya blushed at this. Jay caught this on and blushed himself. Jay immediately turned around, somewhat embarrassed with what he said. "Uhm, what I was trying to say is that you'll be great mage Nya. No doubt about that, hahaha." Jay uneasily shifted his weight and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting. "Hey look at the time. We better get back to the house."

"I'll race you there!" Nya said as she sprinted away from Jay. "Catch me if you can!"

"Oh come on! Seriously?" Jay immediately scampered after her.

Nya reached the veranda, where two other kids were sparring with wooden swords. One boy had spiky auburn hair, while the other had shaggy black hair. Cole swung his wooden sword at Kai, who dodged the hit with ease.

"Not bad Kai," Cole complemented. "But can you dodge this?!" Cole lunged his toy once again at his playmate. Kai blocked it before it could make contact with his right shoulder.

"That the best you can do, Cole? " Kai said with a smirk. "And I thought we were sparring here."

Cole broke into a somewhat evil grin. "Oh you ain't seen nothing yet." He hit Kai's sword with his own. Cole then intertwined his weapon with Kai's, allowing him to twist it out of his grip and send it flying into the air. He then dropped down to swing a kick that knocked Kai off his feet. Kai landed on his back with a thump. He looked up to see a wooden sword to his face, held by a victorious and smiling Cole, who was also holding his own sword in his other hand.

"Jeez, man. Sometimes your moves creep me out." Kai said as Cole helped him up.

"Hey you asked me what I got, you got it." Cole mischievously countered.

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Kai immediately brushing it off, obviously playing a sore loser.

"Oh, come on, Kai. You're a good fighter! Some more practice, and we'll both be in the military before you know it."

Kai snorted. "You got that right." Both boys then spot Nya and Jay running in the distance.

"Hey guys. Back so soon?" Cole asked.

Nya runs into a nearby tree and puts a finger to her lips before hiding behind it. Cole and Kai look back to see Jay search for Nya.

"Hey guys. Have you seen Nya around here?" Both boys shook their heads.

Nya came out of her hiding spot and jumped on Jay with a "boo!" Jay jumped as high as he could almost grabbing a nearby branch. He hit the ground with a thud. The other kids were then sent grabbing their stomachs out of sheer laughter.

"Okay guys. Really funny." Jay said as he struggled to his feet. Suddenly a middle aged woman appeared from inside the house carrying snacks and drinks.

"Hello, kids. Bet yer all hungry. So I brought some eats." She handed them some cookies.

"Thanks Mrs. Walker," said Jay.

"Oh shucks, Jay, just call me Edna," said the woman as she set the tray on a nearby table before going back inside. Cole took the plate of cookies and sat on the veranda's steps before shoving as many of the delicious pastries into his mouth.

"Hey! Save some for the rest of us you pig!" yelled Kai as he grabbed Cole's wrist before another cookie disappeared into his mouth.

"Aww, but they taste so good."

After their hearty snack, Cole stood up and stretched himself. "Man, that was so yummy. Mrs. Walker really bakes the best cookies ever." He looked up towards the sky to see the stars coming out. Then he heard the voice of Edna calling him. "Mister Cole, your father's here to pick you up." Cole grabbed his wooden sword.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, everyone. Bye." The three other kids watched Cole make his way to the front yard, where his father hugged him with open arms before carrying him home.

"I wonder where Mom and Dad are. I'm getting tired," said Nya as she started to rest her head on Kai's lap. Kai then stroked her hair trying to lull her to sleep.

"Don't worry, Sis. I'm sure they'll be back soon." He looked over to Jay, who was already snoring away beside the empty tray of devoured goods. Edna soon comes out to see her charge sleeping soundly and the other two siblings snuggling close by.

"Aww, my little Jay's all plum-tuckered out." She picks up little Jay in her arms who continued to sleep unaware that he was now being carried. Edna then turns to Kai. "Let's all get inside before we catch cold shall we?" Kai nodded and carried Nya on his back. Despite the fact that Kai and Nya were almost the same height, Kai was pretty strong for his age. He always watched out for Nya whenever he could.

Edna put Jay down his bed while Nya and Kai rested on a nearby mattress laid out for them. As Edna slowly closed the door behind her, she was greeted by Jay's father.

"Oh, Sir Gordon. I just put Jay to bed. Kai and Nya are snoozing in the room as well."

Sir Cliff Gordon was a wealthy nobleman who owned a mine within the mountain. Kai's parents often bought metal from his business and thus became good friends with the man. Tonight, he wore a very grim look on his face. "Edna, please, wake the children. I need to talk to them."

Edna immediately complied and woke up Jay, Kai and Nya. She led them to the living room and fixed them some hot chocolate. Once they were settled, Cliff Gordon started talking.

"Kai, Nya, I need you to listen very carefully. From now on, you will be staying here with us."

"What? Why? Did Mom and Dad decide to stay here?" asked Nya, a little confused with what she said. Don't get her wrong, she loved coming over to play with Jay, but nothing beat the sweet smell of home. So, why was Sir Cliff telling them that this would be their new home?

"Yeah, Dad, what gives?" Jay asked.

"Your parents won't be coming back for a while," replied Gordon. "Their trip to Hiroshi's labyrinth was extended because they've found more things that needed to be observed. They've asked me to look after you while they're away. Is that alright with you?"

"Alright! Extended sleepover!" Jay exclaimed while pumping his hands in the air. Everyone just stared at him. He immediately composed himself. "I uh mean, don't worry, you're in good hands. Right, Edna?"

Edna nodded. "Of course we'd love to have you over. Come now." She gestured to the kids. "Let's get ready for bed. It's getting late." Jay and Nya follow Edna up the stairs.

Kai, however, isn't convinced. Their parent's may have gone to Hiroshi's labyrinth three days ago, but they always returned by the end of the day. Why should this day be any different? As Sir Cliff Gordon stood up preparing to retire, Kai spoke up.

"Sir Cliff, I don't believe it. Mom and Dad would never go to Hiroshi labyrinth and stay for the night there. They told me before they left that they would always be back to say us 'goodnight'."

"Maybe they changed their minds." Gordon replied. "Hiroshi's labyrinth is a big place. They must have found something that caused them to extend their stay."

"Not Mom and Dad. Don't lie to me Sir Cliff. I may only be twelve years old, but I can tell when something's off. What happened to our parents?"

Gordon sighed. There was no going around this kid. When he wants something, there was no stopping him from getting it. Just like his father. Gordon kneeled down to look at Kai in the eyes.

"Kai, this won't be easy to take in. Are you sure you want to hear what really happened?"

Kai felt his stomach knot up. He knew the news would be difficult to swallow, whatever it was. But he braced himself and nodded.

"Kai, you're parents have perished inside the labyrinth. They were looking for a rare metal that was said to be found in the fabled oasis of the labyrinth. Unfortunately, something within the labyrinth took them. We don't know what it was, but we saw some sort of monster appear out of nowhere and separated the two of them from the group. My team and I got away safely but your parents never got out. We returned inside only to see the creature drag them down into the earth below. We tried to dig them out, but we never found them. I'm sorry."

When Gordon had finished, Kai's skin had become white as snow. All color had drained from his face and he his head felt like it was being split in half. He wanted to cry. Scream. Break something. Go to the labyrinth and demand that monster to bring back his parents. He failed at keeping himself in check. He thought he had prepared himself for the worst, but he didn't think that it would be this heart crushing. He held his head to his hands breathing heavily and quickly, as tears threatened to spill. He felt himself falling as all he saw were black and white dots dancing around his vision. However, Cliff held him steady and embraced him.

"I'm so sorry Kai. We did what we could. I promise that we will take care of you and Nya for as long as I live and that I will never let anything happen to you both."

All Kai could do was embrace the man since he was the only one in close proximity. He silently sobbed, letting grief, anger, and sadness overflow from his heart. How could he ever tell Nya? Despite being two years younger than him, her heart was still too tender for such a happening. But look at how he reacted to all this. If this is how he felt, how much more would Nya feel when she hears of it? No, he had to be strong. He will tell her when he's recovered. So that when it's Nya's turn to cry, he will be ready to lift her up.

Kai didn't know how long he silently cried in Gordon's arms. All he knew that when he was done, Gordon's shirt was soaking wet with his tears. Jay's father didn't mind however. He knew this was hard on the boy. He then led Kai to the guestroom where Nya was already sound asleep.

"Good night, Kai. Get some sleep. I'll see you both in the morning."

Kai made his way to the bed. He could hear Nya's steady breath as he rested his head on his pillow. He turned off the lights and closed his eyes. But sleep wouldn't overtake him. His body was exhausted, but his mind was restless. He turned himself to face Nya. She was all he had left now. He couldn't let anything happen to her. 'I promise. I'll take care of Nya, Dad.' He then brought Nya closer to him and embraced her. After this, he slowly fell asleep.

The next morning, the news of their parents' death spread like wild fire. There was a small funeral held in their honor. Kai held Nya the entire time while Nya let her tears rain down. Everyone in the village gave them their condolences, including Lord Garmadon and his family, as well as Master Wu. After the procession was over, Nya locked herself in her new room in the Gordon estate. It was definitely a lot bigger than the room she and Kai used to share back home. Nya lay down on her bed fidgeting with a ruby bracelet that her mother told her she'd inherit one day. Guess now was that day. She suddenly heard a knock on her door and slid underneath the covers.

"Nya?" It was Jay. "Are you in there?"

"Go away."

"I just wanted to see how you're holding up. Please don't be mad." Jay made his way inside Nya's room and sat at the foot of the bed.

"Please go away, Jay. I want to be alone."

Jay sighed and got up. "Okay. I'll go. But remember, if you want someone to talk to, I'll be here." He softly closed the door behind him.

When Nya heard the door click, she slowly pushed the covers back and got out of bed. She walked over an old trunk which used to belong to her mother. As she rummaged through her mother's old belongings, she found a worn out book and flipped to its first page. There was a letter written on it:

My dearest Nya,

I hope you take care of this book as I have. It's quite an heirloom. This book was used by your grandmother, which she passed on to me, and now I to you. It contains many aquatic spells that not many mages know, and this book is the only one of its kind. Work hard and with enough diligence, you will become a great mage.

Happy Eleventh Birthday

Love,

Mom

Nya once more burst into tears. 'Mom was supposed to give this to me next year,' she thought to herself. She hugged the book with all her might taking in the love that her mother had left on that letter. 'Don't worry, Mom. I'll make you proud. I promise.'

After that day, Nya spent every day practicing the spells that were her mother's spell book. She was always at the fishpond or near any body of water in order and sometimes came home dripping wet. This did not deter the young girl however. She wanted to prove herself. Her progress was slow but steady. With no master to teach her, she was on her own. Master Wu's academy was just up the mountain, but not having any money nor the capacity to take care of herself, Nya decided to wait until she was old enough and prepared enough.

Kai on the other hand saw the passion in his sister's eyes and decided to follow his parents' footsteps as well in their honor. He spent his days in his father's blacksmith shop, being an apprentice to the shop's current owner, Gavin. Gavin was his father's second hand around the place and he would man the store whenever Kai's parents were away. With their passing, Gavin took the responsibility of holding down the fort until Kai was old enough. Kai's father explicitly stated in his will that Kai will inherit the shop when he would retire or upon his passing. However, knowing Kai still had little knowledge of how to craft high quality weapons, Gavin took care of the shop. Being the honest and loyal person he was, Gavin gave half of his earnings to Kai every day, saying that he was the real owner, and that he was only an employee.

As days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, Nya's training began to yield good results. However, she barely had time for anything or anyone else. The only person whom she would really talk to was Kai, because she would share her new learnings with him. Jay on the other hand, Nya ignored him like he didn't exist. This vexed Jay beyond measure. Whenever Jay would show Nya his ideas or designs for his inventions, Nya would only nod or say "That's nice" without even looking at him. Finally he had had enough. One night, he found Nya reading her spell book at the living room.

"Hey Nya. Can I talk to you?" No response.

"Nya?" She only nodded.

"Can you please stop reading for a sec and look at me?"

"Mhmm. That's nice." That was it. Jay Gordon had snapped.

"Alright. Enough is enough." Jay grabbed Nya's book from her hands.

"Hey! Give that back!" Nya yelled.

"Ha! After five years, she finally talked!" Jay yelled back. "Look at you. You've become obsessed with magic, like it was some sort of curse."

"You know full well why I'm studying so hard," Nya countered. "I promised my mom I'd work hard on my magic!"

"Yeah, but you don't have time for anyone or anything else!"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand. You're just a rich boy who has everything, not needing to work for anything."

"That's not true! I do work hard on my inventions! If you were really listening to me for the past five years you would have noticed!"

"Oh yeah? Last I heard, they always end up failures."

"Take that back!"

"Give me back my spell book first!" Nya pointed at the book Jay still had in his hand. Nya chased him around the living room. Jay stayed as far as he could from Nya, using the couch as a barrier between them. But that didn't stop the girl. She jumped over the couch and knocked Jay off his balance. Both fell on the floor with a carpet to break their fall. The book wasn't so lucky. It flew out of Jay's hands. And into the fire place.

"No, no, no!" Nya scrambled to her feet and got the fire place poker, hoping to save her dear memento. But it was too late. By the time she had gotten it out, had been burnt to a crisp. Nya's heart broke. She turned to face Jay and yelled with all her might.

"I hate you! I hate you, Jay!"

Jay stayed silent, knowing it was his fault. Nya ran to her room and shut herself in. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She didn't even come down to dinner when Edna called. She just cried and cried.

Nya broke away from reliving the memory. She remembered never talking to Jay after that. She remembered her moving out the Gordon estate the next morning because Kai was finally going to take over the blacksmith shop. Gavin said he was retiring and that Kai was ready to man the shop on his own. She was thankful that she and her brother could finally go back to where they originally called home. Even though she didn't have as much time to practice her magic, she was happy enough to help her brother around with whatever he needed. Despite the loss of her mother's spell book, Nya continued to enrich her knowledge on magic. She travelled to the town library every now and then to research any spells she would come across. As for Jay, he had become a skilled mechanic and inventor. He would often come to town to show his new inventions or be summoned to Lord Garmadon's house to talk business. Whenever Nya saw him, she avoided him. As the years went by, she began to notice a change in him. He had become cocky and rude. Whenever they met, Jay would insult her, which would result in her retaliating. Thus their rivalry grew. And that's how they've been ever since.

Nya sighed. Perhaps if she tried to talk to Jay right after that night, things between them would have been different. She shook the thoughts out of her head. 'No time to think about that now. Master Wu's academy awaits.' She resumed packing her things.

Back in the kitchen, Kai, Zane and Pixal were preparing dinner when a loud knock was heard at the door. Kai went to see who it was. It was an old man with glasses who wore a purple robe. He had a worn out satchel around him.

"Good evening master Kai. I'm sorry for intruding at this late hour, but I have a message from General Cole. He specifically asked that it be delivered to you immediately."

Kai took the letter from him and bid him a good night. He tore open the envelope and scanned its contents. Zane and Pixal poked their heads out of the kitchen.

"What's the matter Kai?" asked Pixal. Kai looked back at them.

"Well, we are officially in business."

"Why's that?" Zane joined in.

"I just a got a letter from Cole. The Serpentine invasion is underway."

* * *

 **Yay! Chapter 3! I'm excited to know what you guys think! Also, thanks so much for your reviews! It warms my heart every time I read them! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

After eating dinner, Kai read aloud Cole's letter for the rest to hear.

"Dear Kai,

It would seem that my suspicions are correct. According to my spy, the warlord is launching a full-scale invasion against Jamanakai. I already sent word to Lord Garmadon and he has started gathering as many troops as he can. However, I don't think our numbers will hold. Please don't forget my offer. We need you now more than ever. I know you have your father's shop to tend to, but I believe we need a warrior in the field, more than we need a blacksmith. Lord Garmadon will start discussing battle plans tomorrow, as well as inform the village for their own safety. Be safe my friend.

-Cole"

"So what now?" Nya asked.

Kai leaned back on his chair. He thought of Cole's offer. Sure he thought of becoming a soldier when he was younger, but because of his father's passing, he decided to put that dream aside to become a blacksmith like his father. He thought of Nya. Leaving for Cole's army meant he wouldn't be able to watch over her like he had promised. But then again, there was Master Wu's academy. She'll be safe there with all the high ranking wizards protecting their students. Right?

"Nya," Kai looked at his sister. "Did Master Wu tell you anything before you left regarding an impending war?" Nya thought for a moment.

"No, he didn't. Maybe Lord Garmadon hasn't informed him yet. Wait, why are you asking?"

"You stay there when this war goes down. At least I know you'll be safe there."

Nya nodded. "I'll research on some battle spells while I'm there. I want a taste of the action when those Serpentine get here."

Kai smiled and then turned to Zane. "Well Zane, it's just you, me and Pixal. We'll start work in the morning."

"What about General Cole's offer?" Pixal asked. "With Nya in safe hands, what's stopping you from fighting alongside him?"

"Look, I know Cole wants me in his army and all, but I can't leave the shop. I promised my father I'd keep it running."

"But wouldn't it be logical to fight against the Serpentine tribes and win?" Zane replied. "If you defeated the enemy, then you wouldn't have to worry about leaving the shop open."

Kai held his hand up to say something but put it down immediately after grasping what Zane just said. "Y'know, you're right." However, part of him was still unmoved. "But still, the army still needs artillery, and I still have some weapons in stock. I'll restore those in case the military come up short. Then I'll forge a couple more before joining Cole's men."

"Kai?" Nya gave him a motherly look.

"Alright, alright. I'll just restore 'em. Period." Nya didn't budge.

Kai put his right hand up. "I promise. Just those in storage."

Nya rolled her eyes in amusement. "Just don't overdo it okay? Cole needs you."

"Yeah, yeah. I know."

Early the next morning, Nya left for Master Wu's academy. Kai dropped her off at the foot of the stone stairs. When he got back home, he found Zane and Pixal waiting for him. He then led them to the small storage room at the shop. Inside a variety of weaponry were mounted on its four walls. Kai grabbed two swords and gave one to Zane. "Let's get to work."

Zane spent the entire afternoon with Kia, sharpening swords, axes, and maces. Kai showed him how to use a grindstone. Zane's muscles ached as he kept up with Kai's fast pace. As a nindroid, stamina wasn't an issue. But now that he was human, he had to combat the pain overtaking his arms. Pixal, on the other hand, flew around Zane, wiping off the sweat from his face with a cloth.

"Pixal, you don't have to do that," Zane told her.

"I just want to be of help to you," Pixal replied, her green eyes staring at his blue orbs.

"You're company is enough," Zane smiled at her.

Pixal masked a smile. She could feel her heart getting heavier by the minute.

"Excuse me," Pixal said as she looked away from Zane's face. "I'm feeling a little thirsty."

"Go ahead, Pixal." Zane told her, a smile still on his features. Pixal flew towards the door as quickly as she could.

She landed on her little bed in Zane's bedroom. She put her hands on her head and sobbed. She hated feeling helpless. She missed her old capabilities. She missed being literally part of Zane. She missed being able to watch out for him, whether it be sensing a nearby threat or calculating the best escape route through a cave in order to avoid a giant snake.

'Why do creatures like these exist, anyway?' She thought. 'What's their purpose?' These thoughts hummed inside her head. She wanted to help. But how? She couldn't even lift a pitcher of water to pour on glasses to serve the Zane and Kai. She was too small.

How. How. How?

A thought then struck her. If she didn't know what the purpose pixies were for, then why not research? She may not have search parameters anymore, but that didn't mean she didn't know how to look. She left a note for Zane to find in the kitchen then took off to the nearest window.

Pixal flapped her wings as hard as she could as she navigated through the streets of Jamanakai village. The place was definitely bigger than the one back in Ninjago.

'Okay. Library. Where do they put the library?' Pixal decided to ask the residents. Better than wandering around aimlessly, right? She hovered near a villager passing by.

"Excuse me?" The villager turned to follow her voice.

"I was wondering if you could point me to the direction of the town- Whoa!" The villager started waving her hands around, almost hitting her!

"Get away from me you vermin!" the villager yelled at her. Pixal dodged his arms as she tried to explain.

"Please. I mean you no harm. I only wish to know the way to the village library." But the man would not head her plea.

"You pixies! Always causing trouble! Shoo! Shoo!" He kept swishing his hands until Pixal gave up and flew away. She tried talking to other villagers, but they treated her same as the first. She would get swatted away. One even tried to chase her away with a torch in his hand!

'What in the world do they have against pixies anyway?' Pixal wondered as she hid in the straw that was used as a roof covering for a random house. She then spotted a child admiring a bed of flowers at the town square. She flew towards the flower bed and hovered in front of the girl's face. The girl was surprised to see such a tiny creature with wings. She was about to scream in delight but Pixal put her finger in front of her lips. The girl mimicked her, understanding the pixie's gesture.

"Excuse me, would you be so kind to point me to direction of the village library?" Pixal politely asked her. The child nodded and dashed off, telling Pixal to follow her. She stopped at the steps of a huge building and pointed at its entrance.

"Thank you." Pixal curtsied. The little smiled and curtsied in return before walking away. Pixal flew up the steps and stopped in front of the massive wooden doors. She hid in the stone railings and waited for the doors to swing open. Then she would make her way inside. It wasn't long before she saw someone come up the front steps. She readied herself, eyes filled with determination. The moment the door was flung open, she propelled herself forward, zooming passed the villager's feet and landed roughly on the library's shiny marble floor.

Pixal got up and dusted herself, when suddenly the floor around her grew dark. She looked up to see a large shoe about to crush her! She immediately moved out of the way and ran to the nearest column. Once she caught her breathe, Pixal flapped her wings again. Landing on the bookshelf behind the librarian's table, she surveyed her surroundings. The library wasn't that big, but it wasn't too shabby either. The floors were decorated with marble tiles and the walls were aligned with glass windows allowing sunlight to enter. Dark, brown-colored shelves leaned against the walls with chairs and long tables situated in the middle. The smell of old leather-bound books filled the air.

"Excuse me? I'd like to borrow a book titled 'Tea Herbs for the Soul?'" a voice below asked. Pixal looked down to see the same villager who almost accidentally crushed her talking with the librarian. The librarian stood up, put her hands on the table on the reception table and leaned forward.

"'Tea Herbs for the Soul'? Never heard of it!" she yelled. The villager looked in disbelief and reached for his pocket. He pulled out some gold coins and tossed them in front of the old woman. She took the coins and pulled a green book from under her counter and handed it to the man.

"Return that by next week! You hear me?!" she said in a harsh tone. The villager was sent running out the door, yelling a "Yes, Ma'am!" at the old lady. Pixal shook her head and began her search. The library was fairly empty, probably because of that grouchy librarian. She scanned each shelf until she found the shelf under the magic section. "'Magic for the Novice', 'Healing Spells 101', 'Teleportation and Travel'…" Pixal read each title along the books spines until she came across a big black leather book with its title written in golden letters: "'Magical Creatures, Mystical Beasts and Beyond.'"

'This has got to be it,' Pixal thought as she tried to pull the dusty book off the shelf. But the book wouldn't budge. She tried again and again until she was out of strength. The book just won't let her have it. Pixal crossed her arms in frustration. At this rate she will never get the book out. She then decided to change her approach. She slowly crawled inside the shelf until she reached the back panel. Leaning against the panel, Pixal placed her tiny feet against the book's textblock and pushed against it with all her might. Slowly, the book began to move forward. Once Pixal's legs could no longer reach the book, she slipped in between the book and the shelf's back panel. She leaned against the book with her forearm and pushed once more. Finally, almost half of it was hanging off the shelf. Pixal was filled with excitement now. She ran to the back of the bookshelf and launched herself towards the book, wings moving at top speed. She collided with the pages and sent the piece of black leather tumbling down.

The book hit the floor with a loud, echoing thud. Pixal looked down in victory and then leaned on an adjacent book and wiped the sweat off her face. 'No time to rest,' she thought. She flew down and landed on the book's front cover. She slowly opened to the table of contents. As she skimmed through the contents, she saw dragons, skeletons, serpents, and finally found the article about fairies and pixies. She started reading:

"Fairies and pixies are rare creatures commonly found in forests, mountains, or any area untouched by man. They play by day and either sleep or feast by night. The difference between fairies and pixies is that fairies are the size of a regular human being, while pixies are as small as little birds. Fairies do not meddle with human affairs. They stay as far away from them as much as possible. The only time they are within man's presence is when there is something that they want from them. Fairies have kept themselves hidden so well that very little is known about their kind.

Pixies, however, are a different story. These creatures are mischievous and like to cause trouble to locals. Sometimes, when in groups, they can wreak havoc in an entire town. Pixies are often wild, not listening to anyone but themselves. Some have claimed to capture and tame these creatures. Once tamed, pixies can become friendly and can use their magic to their master's advantage. So far, there are five kinds of pixies known to man: flora pixies, fauna pixies, water pixies, fire pixies, and combat pixies.

Flora pixies have a specialty of taking care of plants. They are the most gentle of the five, and are only provoked when their creations – say, their gardens - are destroyed. Farmers who have claimed to have tamed them use these pixies for the betterment of their farms and to protect their crops from the weather.

Fauna pixies are as gentle as the animals they like to take care of. If their charges are like those of deer, squirrels, and rabbits, they may be friendly, if their animals approach you first. There are fauna pixies that also take care of predators, and it is advisable for you not to come near them. Their animals may attack you and they won't stop them from doing so. Hunters beware fauna pixies because they will avenge any of the animals that they watch over, especially those who watch over predators.

Water pixies, as their name indicates, have control over any body of water. They are the shyest and most emotional. Rumor has it that they come out at night near rivers, lakes, and ponds, especially when the moon is full and its reflection can be seen in the water. It is rare for someone to succeed in taming this kind of pixie because they can be overemotional. If they get hurt, emotionally or physically, they tend to become destructive. They may unleash the wrath of their waters until they've calmed down or until their demands are met.

Fire pixies are the most mischievous and destructive. They can either manipulate a tiny flame from a torch or produce a flame of their own from their own hands. They are rumored to live in the mouth of active volcanoes. It is best to stay away from them as much as possible for they tend to become possessive and territorial. People who actually encountered these pixies and lived to tell the tale said that trespassers suffered either of the two fates: Being burnt to ash or made to walk on hot coals as penance.

Lastly, there are the combat pixies. These are the rarest of the five. They are characterized by their silver or white hair. They are often stoic and emotionless, but when tamed are become caring allies. These creatures have the power of creating explosions, heightening their own or others' reflexes, and materializing weapons from thin air. No one knows where these creatures can be found, but soldiers say that they may appear in the midst of battle to watch the fight. Soldiers have tried looking for these pixies to give themselves an upper hand in battle, but due to these pixies' keen senses, they fly away at the mere sound and smell of man."

"What are you doing here?" a loud voice boomed, breaking Pixal's concentration. She looked up to see the old librarian staring down at her. Pixal held up her hands in defense.

"Please. I don't want any trouble. I was just looking for some information about pixies." The old lady gave her a pointed look.

"Why would a pixie search information about her own kind? As if you don't know what kind of pixie you are."

Pixal hung her head. "Actually, I don't." She then looked at the woman dead in the eye. "Which is why I am here." The librarian shifted her weight and crossed her arms. After a short silence, she walked towards Pixal and picked up the book, prompting Pixal to move out of the way.

"Huh. You're a strange one. I've never met a pixie so serious," she said. She placed the open book on the table and sat down. She looked at Pixal hovering at the far corner of the table.

"Come here, will you? It's not like I'm going to swat you or anything," she continued. Pixal cautiously approached her.

"To be quite honest, that's all that's been happening to me before I got here," Pixal replied. "Every person I approach swats me away like I'm a pest. After reading that book, I now understand why they hate my kind so much."

"Well, you pixies sure are annoying troublemakers," the librarian replied. She then scanned the page that Pixal was reading. "So, which of the five do you think you are?"

"Well," Pixal looked at the descriptions again. "I do have silver hair, and I do not know what kind of capabilities I have, so I can only speculate that I am a combat pixie."

"What do you mean you don't know what kind of abilities you have?" the librarian roared. Pixal covered her ears. "You're a grown pixie for goodness sake! What have you been doing all your life?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Ma'am."

The old lady leaned back on her chair and rubbed her forehead. "Believe me; I have had my fair share of seeing things only old mystical masters have seen. If you indeed are a combat pixie with no knowledge of your inner potential whatsoever, I feel compelled to teach you." The woman then stood up.

"What?" Pixal looked at her, absolutely confused.

"You heard me," the librarian continued, leaning forward, her face covering Pixal's entire vision. "I will teach you what I know. I will teach you to harness your powers as a combat pixie."

"You will? But how?"

"There's more to me than meets the eye, child." The old woman put her arms in an X formation in front of her chest and closed her eyes. Suddenly, wings began to appear behind her. Her complexion began to glow as the marks of old age slowly began to disappear. Pixal looked in awe.

"You're a fairy?"

"Yes, yes. Now zip it." She immediately summoned the wings to disappear, as well as her youthful features. "Now do you want to be taught or what?" Pixal nodded her head.

"I'm Mystake, by the way."

"Pixal."

* * *

Meanwhile, Zane and Kai were half way done with their restoration work. By sundown, they finished everything and Kai called it a day. Zane sat down on the floor panting. Kai looked at him laughing.

"Hey Zane. You alright? You look beat." Zane looked up at Kai. He looked completely fine, even after sharpening all those weapons. It looked as if he was just warming up.

"You are not tired?" Zane asked him.

"Nah," Kai responded proudly. "I spent years sharpening weapons under Gavin, our shop's former owner. So that was basically nothing. But crafting a one-of-a-kind sword, now that's something that will tire me out. You have to be careful and slow about it. One mistake may cost a man his arm."

Zane chuckled at this. "I suppose your right. Let's go inside for a drink. I'm so thirsty." The two went to the kitchen and Zane spotted the note left for him.

"Went out for a bit. Will be back later. -Pixal"

"She went out, huh?" Kai said.

"I suppose so. Is that a bad thing?" Zane replied.

"Actually, yes. The village isn't really taking kindly to pixies. Nya's one of the few people who like them. Everyone else treats them like nuisances."

"Then I have to go after her!" Zane immediately headed for the door. He swung the door open and found Pixal already zooming toward him at full speed. Pixal saw the door open wide and smacked into Zane's broad chest. Zane caught her with a worried look on his features.

"Where have you been?" Zane asked Pixal as she rubbed her head from the sudden impact.

"I remember leaving you a note. Didn't you receive it?"

"I did, but Kai told me it's dangerous for you to be out there on your own."

"I know," Pixal replied, while fidgeting with her fingers. "But at least I was productive today." She proceeded to tell them of her little adventure, about how she got chased away by angry villagers, almost get crushed by someone's foot, and meeting the grouchy librarian Mystake. However, she didn't tell them that the old woman was a fairy or specific details of her training session.

"And she didn't harm you in any way?" Zane finally asked after Pixal finished telling her story.

"No, she didn't. She offered to help me instead,"

"Help you with what?"

"Researching more about my abilities."

"Well, the good thing is that you're alright, Pixal," Kai said, leaning back on his chair.

All of a sudden, a puff of smoke emerged in front of Zane and a scroll appeared before him. "Did you do that?" Zane asked. Pixal just shrugged her shoulders. Zane took the scroll, unrolled it, and silently read its contents:

"Dear Zane,

I have indeed found some information about how you have crossed over to our world. I cannot explain it in full detail in this letter, but I hope to meet you to talk about the matter. Can you meet me in Lord Garmadon's estate tomorrow morning? I await your reply. Just write your response on this parcel and I will know.

Sincerely,

Master Wu"

"What is it?" Kai asked him.

"It's Master Wu. He's summoned me to meet him at Lord Garmadon's estate tomorrow morning."

"Well, let's do it then. I'm gonna meet with Cole anyway," Kai replied cockily as he continued to rock his chair.

Zane nodded. He then turned to Pixal. "What about you Pixal?" PIxal touched his arm.

"Where you go, I go."

That night Zane slept soundly and early. He was obviously knocked out from the day's work. Pixal, on the other hand, was too happy to sleep. It's only been a few days since she arrived in this realm with Zane and she can finally be of aid. She didn't tell him that he was she was a combat pixie, but decided to tell him when the time was right. As she prepared to close her eyes to sleep, a small light appeared in front of her, which immediately disappeared with a tiny package in its place. A scroll was attached at the top. Using a lighting spell that Mystake taught her, she opened the letter and silently read it.

"Dear Pixal,

I am sure you are aware of the upcoming war with the Serpentine tribes and Warlord Chen. How do I know? I'm magic! I don't have to explain myself to you. I may have to cancel our sessions. Probably by tomorrow Lord Garmadon and his brother will start evacuating the village. But for your benefit, I have given you these books that will help you better your skills. Read them well, you hear me? Help them win this war.

-Mystake."

Pixal smiled and placed the small package beside her basket of a bed. Resting her head on her soft pillow once more, she finally escaped the real world and entered dreamland.

* * *

 **Yay chapter 4! Thanks once again for the reviews! It really keeps me going in writing this! As for tea shop lady Mystake, that's her actual name in the show XD**

 **DragonWhisperer762- To answer your question, yes I'm planning to put dragons somewhere in this story, but I'm not telling where... hihi. :3**

 **The Raven's Echo - The kids are staying in Jay's house. Edna is part of Gordon's staff, somewhat like a head housekeeper. As mentioned in the chapter, the Kai, Nya and Jay were childhood friends. Their parents were good friends, so whenever Kai's folks were out of town, they leave their kids at the Gordon estate. Cole is also a good friend of theirs, and his dad is working, though not really sure yet what medieval fantasy job he'd be doing. I might not mention Cole's mom since she wasn't mentioned in the series. I hope this helps! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Sorry it took me a while again to get the next chapter out. I've been pretty busy with Ninjago self insert week in Tumblr. It's an event from May 1 to May 7 where you basically insert yourself with the Ninjago characters in artwork or writing, depending on the theme of the day. And it was pretty fun! Without further ado, here's chapter 5. :)**

* * *

By sunrise, Kai and Zane and Pixal were already on their way to Lord Garmadon's home. The man's estate was on the opposite side of the mountain, above all the other homes of the village. As Zane and the others made their way to the town square, a man was seen running around the square yelling, "By order of Lord Garmadon, all residents of Jamanakai village please proceed to Master Wu's Academy of Magic Arts. An invasion is underway led by Warlord Chen and the Serpentine Tribes. Every man able to fight please proceed to the barracks near Lord Garmadon's estate."

People could be seen loading their things on their horses, carts and wagons. Soon a long train of people were trekking up the mountain with mages guiding them towards the stone gates. Another group of people joined Kai and Zane take the opposite route towards Lord Garmadon's home. When they finally reached the barracks, they saw Cole coming outside to meet them.

"I thought I'd find you here," Kai said to his old friend.

"So a war is what it takes for you to join me, huh?" Cole joked.

"Well you know me; I ain't about to let you have all the fun."

Cole then noticed Zane. Oh, hey there. Whose you're friend, Kai?"

"This here is Zane," Kai replied. "He's been helping around the shop since Nya left for the academy."

"Nice to meet you Zane," Cole extended his arm to shake Zane's hand. "Come to join our ranks?"

Zane nodded. It will be an honor to fight alongside you, General. But before I can accompany you I have to meet Master Wu at Lord Garmadon's estate; and I am helping Kai in bringing these to you." He set down a huge roll of a leather blanket, revealing the artillery that he sharpened the day before.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot," Kai said. He laid down his own leather blanket. Cole examined the weapons carefully before giving them to one of his men to be distributed to the others.

"So you make fancy weapons for us, but you didn't plan on making one for yourself," Cole joked to Kai.

"Pffft, fat chance," Kai replied. He then reached for something behind his back and pulled out a sword. But it wasn't like the ones Cole looked at earlier. The hilt was of golden color with an intricate design. The guard before the blade was a golden dragon's head with a red jewel for its eyes. Out of its mouth came out the blade itself, its metal flawlessly reflecting the light shining upon it. Cole whistled.

"I'm starting to regret I asked you to make me a scythe," he said to the blacksmith. Kai smirked.

"Of course I'd make a sword for myself genius. When we were kids, I've always wanted to bring a sword that I've made myself to battle. I actually was about to make this for display. But when you told me about the upcoming war, I just knew this is what I would fight with. So yeah." Kai then remembered his companion. "By the way Zane, thanks for all your help. You had better get going. You don't wanna be late to your meeting." Zane bowed in respect.

"Anytime. It's good to meet you, General," Zane then proceeded to walk towards the mansion ahead of him. Once he got there, he knocked on the doors, where a fat man with brown hair held back in a glamorous fashion, poked his head out of the door.

"You lost my friend? Cuz the barracks is in the other direction," he said to Zane.

"I'm here to meet with Master Wu," Zane replied. "May I ask if he's here?"

"Oh, you must be that guy," the man replied. He opened the door to let Zane in. "He's waiting for you in the library. Follow me if you will." He led Zane to the said room where Master Wu was waiting for him, along with another man and a woman.

"Ah, Zane. Thank you for coming on such short notice," Master Wu greeted as he acknowledged Zane's presence. "Please allow me to introduce my brother Garmadon and his wife Misako." Wu gestured to the man and the woman in the room. Both exchanged handshakes with Zane before sitting down.

"Where is Pixal?" asked Wu. Zane opened his satchel.

"The coast is clear, Pixal." Pixal fluttered out of the bag and stretched herself.

"I thought I'd never get out of there," she then sat on Zane's shoulder.

"So this is the pixie you are travelling with," Garmadon spoke up. "I hope she won't cause any mischief."

"I assure you, I am in no way a threat to no one," Pixal replied to Garmadon. "I only wish to help Zane return home." 'Myself included.'

"Then let's get to the matter at hand," Garmadon continued. "Zane, I have been told that you arrived from another realm and that you seek to return home."

"Yes, that's right," replied Zane.

"However, it is interesting that your arrival coincides with the upcoming invasion."

"Are you implying that I am a spy, Lord Garmadon?"

"No, it's nothing like that Zane," Misako spoke up. "We just have reason to believe that your recent arrival and the upcoming invasion is no coincidence. After doing some research with regards to crossing realms, I came across this scroll." Misako pulls out a worn out scroll and shows it to the group. "According to this, our realm is one of sixteen realms and the only thing that allows a person to cross between worlds is through an object called the realm crystal. However, no one has ever seen the realm crystal since Garmadon and Wu's father's disappearance."

"Our father took the realm crystal with him when he left the village in our care," said Garmadon. "He told us that he would take the crystal to the grave to avoid anyone from using its power. No one knows where his tomb is and he has left no clues about its whereabouts."

"But I did not arrive here with the use of such a thing," Zane said. "A vortex just appeared out of nowhere and sucked me into this realm."

"That's the most interesting part," Misako continued. "Your 'Ninjago' is not part of the sixteen realms, or at least, not our sixteen realms. By any chance, when you have come to our lands, are there any people you have encountered so far that resemble anyone you know back in your home? Like is there anyone who appears to be a counterpart of anyone you know back in Ninjago?"

"Yes," Zane replied all too quickly. "In more ways than one."

Misako nodded. "Then my suspicions were correct. After some digging and research, I have come to a conclusion: this realm of yours is indeed from another set of sixteen realms. Something or someone was able to cross between two planes of reality and bring you here."

"Could it be that the realm crystal was used to bring me here? But Lord Garmadon mentioned that no one would be able to find the tomb."

"Not quite, actually," Misako pointed out. "As I continued to search more information about the realm crystal, I came across an old Serpentine legend. It stated that every one hundred and twenty moons, a comet would pass over the world, and its light would shine for a brief moment right at the location of a beautiful gem that would surpass all worlds. This gem is said to have the ability to let one travel into worlds beyond our own."

"This description fits the realm crystal all too well," Wu added.

"Not only that," Garmadon joined in. "But a comet flew overhead some days ago. Could it be that that comet is the same one the legend speaks of?"

"I believe so," Misako replied. "I also checked the last time that same comet flew overhead, and it was ten years ago, or a hundred and twenty moons. There's no doubt it's the same one and that the Serpentine and Warlond Chen must have already found it."

"But how could the realm crystal transport me to another plane with a different set of sixteen realms?" Zane asked. "Like you mentioned earlier, I am from a parallel universe. There is also a realm crystal in my world, but it has never had power like this."

"That's where magic comes in," Wu finally spoke up. "Warlord Chen's right hand man is a wizard named Clouse. He is a dangerous man who specializes in dark magic. He must have used the Tornado of Creation to boost the crystal's power to create a vortex to cross to other universes."

'The Tornado of Creation? We haven't used that in a long time,' Zane thought to himself. He was tempted to tell the others that he knew what that was, but knowing that it was a parallel dimension, perhaps the concept of that action would be different from what he was used to. "What's the Tornado of Creation?" He forced himself to ask.

"By normal circumstances, it is a spell that can create something out of nothing," Wu continued. "But I never thought that it could be used for realm-crossing."

"What exactly does one need in order to In order for this spell to work?"

"In order to perform the Tornado of Creation, you need several components: a magic wielder, the blood of the creator of the crystal, and four people who display one of these attributes: speed, strength, mind, and will."

"It sounds more like a ritual than a spell."

"Not all spells are words spoken."

Garmadon rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So, if what you say is true, Brother, Chen and Clouse have indeed found a way to cross over to other realms. But what do the Serpentine Tribes want to do with that? They have always been peaceful people."

"I fear that they know something that we do not," replied Wu. "And that whatever that knowledge is, it can't be anything good."

Just then, the library doors burst open with Cole briskly walking toward them. The same fat man from earlier was grabbing on to Cole's arm, trying desperately to restrain him. "I'm so sorry Lord Garmadon! I couldn't stop him! I told him you were in an important meeting, but he wouldn't listen!"

Cole stopped in front of the table. "I'm sorry for bursting in like this, but I have some urgent news." He looked back at the fat man. Garmadon did the same.

"It's alright, Dareth. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Dareth let go of Cole's arm, straightened his attire and hair and gave them a bow. "As you wish, Sir." With that he left the room.

"Go on Cole," Garmadon resumed.

"The Warlord is approaching sooner than anticipated. They'll be here by sunrise."

"Tell everyone to prepare for battle!" Garmadon shouted. He then looked out Wu. "Brother, are your mages ready for battle?"

Wu nodded. "My top students are already in the barracks awaiting your command."

"Then let's gear up." Garmadon turned to Zane. "Do you know how to use a sword?" Zane nodded. The four of them headed to the armory.

* * *

 **I'm sorry this chapter is shorter than my previous ones. I can't get the next part to play out right! So frustrating... So I decided to cut it here for now... I'll do better in the upcoming chapters...Sorry guys T_T**

 **Thanks again for the reviews! Looking forward for more! :3**


	6. Chapter 6

Zane's heart beat steadily as looked to the horizon, waiting for the sun to come. He's never tried wearing armor before, and he found it quite heavy, not like the light and breathable fabric of his ninja uniform. He was also riding a chestnut horse, with his own longsword strapped behind his back. He took a good look at his comrades. Beside him was Kai aboard his own steed, this one of roan color. On Kai's other side was Cole, sitting talk on his jet black horse. In front of him were dozens of foot soldiers and behind him were other horsemen. Wu and his mages stood on the walls of the now heavily fortified Jamanakai village, alongside Garmadon. Misako stood there as well, beside her battalion of archers.

Finally, the army could hear footsteps chanting in a steady rhythm. A huge silhouette formed in the distance which slowly broke down to individual shadows. Fearsome looking soldiers were marching towards the village. They were covered in armor made of bone and their faces painted in snakelike patterns. Behind them were huge iron golems guarding Chen, Clouse, and the five Serpentine chiefs. The enemies slowly quickened their pace, until they were charging at full speed.

"Steady," Cole commanded, his right arm raised. His troops stood their ground. The enemy grew closer. Zane readied his hand near his sword. Cole pulled his hand down and the earth shook. A huge trench appeared between them and Chen's soldiers, causing the foot soldiers and golems to fall in and the horsemen to come to an abrupt half. Zane looked back and saw Wu and his students giving it their all to create the trench with their magic. As the enemy struggled to get out, Cole took the opportunity and yelled, "Fire!" Arrows were let loose and landed on everyone in the pit. The troops behind the trench went around it and pushed forward. The iron golems also climbed out of the pit, the arrows doing no damage to them. Misako and her archers took aim again, but as they prepared to fire, huge boulders were launched at them, making them move out of the way. The mages then focused their energy on taking down Chen's catapults. Meanwhile, Chen's soldiers were still advancing toward Jamanakai's army.

"Charge!" Cole galloped with his men right behind him. Zane followed with his own horse. Both sides finally met with the clanging of metal and the impaling of armor. With one swing from Cole's scythe, the troops in front of him were decimated. Kai and Lloyd slashed every one their blades could reach. Zane did the same, striking down every opponent that threw himself at him. The battle ground was soon filled with fallen bodies and blood. The foul smell of death was everywhere and it filled Zane's nose. He's never smelled this much blood. His head began spinning, but he shook it off. One misstep and he could have a sword to his chest.

Suddenly the ground exploded behind him causing the shockwave to have him thrown off his horse. Zane's body stung with pain from the sudden impact. He struggled to his feet, his sword still in his tight grip. A Serpentine foot soldier lunged at him which he dodged in time before slashing the soldier's back. With the help of his ninja training, Zane slipped through the defenses easily and quickly. He saw an iron golem approaching. He ran towards the towering monster. The giant swung its long arms, aiming to land a blow on the white ninja. Its arm hit the ground, making a huge imprint on the earth. But Zane was too fast. He jumped on the arm and ran toward the golem's head. He raised his sword and stabbed the golem's head. The golem did not react in pain. Instead he tried to grab Zane and throw him off. But its arm were nothing more than battering rams, only making its arms swing around his head. Zane thought fast. He grabbed his sword and used it to stir the distracted golem across the field. The golem hit its fellow iron giants. Zane then stirred it to the direction of an incoming fireball and jumped off before it hit the giant and destroying it.

"Get that pest!" yelled a voice. Zane followed the voice and saw its owner. Chen. More soldiers ran toward Zane. Filled with more energy than before, Zane whizzed past them, avoiding the incoming blows. The only thing in front of him now was Chen and Clouse. He had no plans on killing either of them, but he was certainly going to bring them to justice. As he advanced toward them, he felt his legs going numb. 'What's happening?' He immediately lost his footing and met with the ground. He looked up to see Clouse directing his arm at him while mumbling something under his breathe. Zane looked at his legs and saw a faint black aura curling around his legs. He tried to move forward but his legs won't cooperate. He found himself abruptly picked up by his numb legs. He began floating upside down toward Chen and Clouse. Chen was holding a spear, no doubt to throw it at him like some target practice. Chen was about to throw the spear when a glint of silver zoomed across Clouse's cheek.

"Gaaah!"Clouse seethed in pain. He dropped Zane and held his left cheek. Zane landed on the floor. He could feel his legs again. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed his sword. More silver darts rained from the skies. Clouse and Chen retreated to the trees to find shelter. Zane looked at the direction from where the darts were fired. 'Jay?'

"Hey there uber knight!" Jay called out to him. "Looks like you could use a hand. You about to become a human pinata." Jay was strapped in to his artificial wings. His arms were mounted with cartridges of dangerous metal darts. He landed beside Zane and followed him into the woods where Clouse and Chen had retreated. They found them instantly and took cover behind a fallen tree trunk. Clouse was healing his slashed cheek while Chen was pacing around, impatiently waiting for him to finish.

"Patience, Master. We will get that fool soon enough."

"Not soon enough, Clouse!" Chen yelled. "I've never seen a knight move so fast! Who knows how long before he'll find us?"

"If he does, I'll just paralyze him. And this time, for good."

Crack!

Jay stepped on a twig. He and Zane ducked down with Jay mouthing a 'Sorry' at Zane. Both held their breathes. Clouse and Chen's footsteps were getting nearing when a loud noise was heard from behind. Chen and Clouse whipped their heads around to see Lloyd Garmadon fire a beam of energy at them. Both men were thrown across the clearing. Lloyd moved forward towards Chen. Zane and Jay jumped out of their hiding place and charged Clouse. They pinned Clouse to the ground before he could do anything. Zane looked at Lloyd and Chen, who were engaged in a heated swordfight.

"Not bad, boy," said Chen. "For someone your age, you're pretty good. Come to think of it. You look familiar. Have we met?"

"If we have, you'd be dead by now," Lloyd replied as he lunged at Chen. Chen dodged him and swung his sword at Lloyd's back. Lloyd saw this coming and turned around in time to block him with his sword.

"Ah! I know why you look so familiar," Chen continued. "You're Garmadon's little boy, aren't you?" There swords continued to clash again and again.

"Yeah, so?"

"He didn't tell you did he?"

"That you were a cocky psychopath who wanted to attack Jamanakai village?"

"Very funny boy. No, about the fact that he used to be my student?"

"Oh yeah. I know that. But he left you as soon as he saw your true colors." Lloyd blocked another strike to his chest. "Anyways, shut up and fight!" Lloyd ducked and swung his leg making Chen lose his balance. He hit the forest floor face first. Chen tried to reach his sword but Lloyd stepped on it and put his own sword in front of Chen's face.

Chen slowly arose with his hands in the air. He looked at Lloyd with contempt. Lloyd was wearing a victorious smirk. He then looked to Clouse. He was badly wounded, being tied up by his assailants.

"Hey guys," Lloyd called to Jay and Zane. "Got anymore rope there? I could use some." Zane held Clouse while Jay made his way to Lloyd. But without warning, a spear came zipping through knocking Lloyd's sword out of his hand. More spears started flying about as well. Jay dove to the ground. Zane pinned Clouse to the ground to prevent him from escaping. Chen took the opportunity and pinned Lloyd down. Taking a dagger in his cloak, he stabbed Lloyd's side. Lloyd screamed from the pain. Chen hoisted himself up with Lloyd now as his hostage.

"Let him go!" Jay shouted at Chen, his arms ready to fire his big needles.

"Stand down, boy!" boomed a voice from the shadows. Two figures came into the light. One wore a white snakeskin over him, with purple markings. The other had a turquoise skin over his head with yellow markings. Both of them were covered in scratches, but no major injuries.

"Perfect timing, Chief Pythor I must say," said Chen, still holding Lloyd, who was starting to lose his consciousness, as well as lots of blood.

"We must retreat Chen," said Pythor. "The golems are destroyed and our troops are not strong enough against their army. They're right on our tails!"

"Tis better we live to fight another day" added Skales. As soon as he said this, Cole and his men burst from the bushes. Cole sees his protégé in Chen's clutches.

"Let him go, Chen," Cole growled. "You're outnumbered." Chen simply smirked.

"How about a trade? Clouse, for the boy?" Cole looked at Clouse who was still in his knees with Zane restraining him. He grabbed Clouse by his collar and throws him at Chen's feet. Two Serpentine soldiers helped Clouse to his feet. When Chen saw his second in command in safe hands, he too threw Lloyd to the ground. Clouse then summoned a large blanket of smoke. Everyone began coughing and began shielding their noses and mouths. When the smoke cleared, there was no sign of Chen, Clouse or the Serpentine. Cole looked to the ground to see Lloyd lying limp. He carefully picked him up and took a good look at his face. He was growing pale and had trouble breathing. He mounted on his horse with Lloyd in hand.

"Search the whole forest," Cole commanded. "Those filthy snakes must still be nearby." With that he rode in the direction of Jamanakai village. Zane and the other soldiers searched and searched, but the fiends were nowhere to be found. They returned home empty handed. As Zane walked out of the forest, he spotted Jay cleaning up his artificial wings and ran up to him.

"Excuse me," Jay stopped what he was doing and looked at Zane.

"Oh hey uber knight," he said. "Looking for something?"

"I just wanted to thank you for saving my life earlier. I would have been a goner had you not arrived."

Jay shrugged. "Eh, no big deal. I just saw you in trouble and took the shot." He then strapped his wings to his back and started walking towards the village.

"Hey so you know Nya right?" he asked Zane while walking.

"Yes, I remember us meeting you on the stairway to Master Wu's Academy."

"Right. Hey, you two aren't a thing are you?" Zane simply shook his head.

"Don't you like Nya?" Zane asked, though he knew the answer already. Maybe a little push was what they needed to get back together.

"What? No! Why would I like that water monkey? All she does is yell and spray water at my face! Heh, nooo way am I falling for that pretty, smart…" Jay's voice slowly trailed off and he looks at Zane with embarrassment. He cleared his throat. "Well anyways, it's clear she won't reciprocate, even if I do like her. And that's that."

"I know not much about the subject of love," Zane replied. "But I know that if you know someone to be vital to you, you will do everything you can to keep them safe." Jay stopped walking and looked at Zane.

"Huh, interesting advice from an uber knight. What's your name again?"

"Zane." Jay put his hand on Zane's shoulder.

"You know what, Zane? I think we'll get along just fine. I'm Jay by the way, in case you didn't know yet."

As the two men walked inside the walls of the village a blue crystal dome was slowly descending from above, covering the whole village. Zane saw Master Wu and several mages maneuvering the blue dome downwards until it made contact with the ground. When it did so, the blue aura slowly disappeared and the mages fell on their knees. Jay and Zane helped them up.

"What was that, Master Wu?" Asked Zane.

"Only a shield for the night," Wu replied. "It takes too much energy for even a number of mages to create an impenetrable shield for a long time, let alone something so big."

"Whoa! So your telling me nothing's gonna get by this thing?" Jay asked with exuberance as he approached the invisible barrier and began tapping it.

"Precisely, Master Gordon," Wu turned to Zane. "I'm headed to the infirmary. You're friends are there too. Nya's helping in tending the troops injuries." Jay's head shot up while Zane just nodded and followed the old wizard. Zane looked back at Jay gesturing him to come along. Jay frowned and shook his head.

"You go on ahead. I have to take care of some stuff." He walked in the opposite direction. Jay was in no mood to meet Nya now. More than anything, he wanted to reconcile with her. Ever since that incident with Nya's spell book, he's been carrying a burden of guilt over him. Sure he insults Nya every time they meet, but in reality, it was all a mask. A mask to hide behind and to hide all the remorse he's been feeling. The last thing Nya would want to see was his face. Besides, he didn't want to pull her concentration away from tending the troops.

As Zane entered the infirmary, he saw dozens of troops lying on cots with other villagers tending their wounds. Others were tended by mages who were slowly healing them with magic. He spotted Kai sitting on a cot, with Nya tending to a bruise above his left eye. He didn't look that injured, but then again, what little sister wouldn't be worried for her big brother?

"Hold still, okay?" Nya said as she dabbed a wet cloth on his bruise. Kai winced.

"Can't you use your magic to heal?" Kai complained.

"I will heal you but as soon as I clean the wounds. If we perform the healing spell before we clean the wounds, the wounds might get infected rather than closing. So quit your whining and let me do my job."

"Can't you heal me overall, instead of every individual wound?" Kai continued to gripe.

Nya rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry I'm not at that level yet. I'm not an all powerful wizard who can poof your boo-boos away. Now zip it and quit being a whiny baby. You're lucky came back in one piece." Kai shook his head in annoyance. He then spotted Zane walking towards them.

"Look who else came back unscathed."

"How are you feeling?" Zane asked.

"Lousy," Kai replied. "At least I'm alright. Can't say that for everyone though."

He looked over his shoulder, much to Nya's irritation. Zane looked in the same direction. At the very end of the infirmary was Lloyd, with Cole and his parents and uncle beside his cot. Zane walked over to them. Misako was gently stroking Lloyd's hand with Pixal comforting her. Garmadon was talking with Cole about what happened. Cole turned to see Zane approaching.

"There he is." Garmadon approached him a stern look on his face. "What happened out there? Cole told me you were with my son before he arrived." Zane explained everything in detail to the best of his ability.

"I'm so sorry I let him out pf my sight, Lord Garmadon," Cole looked at the ground. "Had I kept a closer eye on him, he wouldn't be in this condition." Garmadon put his hand on Cole's shoulder.

"It's alright Cole. You had your mind focused in the battle. And you got Lloyd to safety before it was too late. That's enough for me." Cole smiled in relief and excused himself to look over his able troops.

"How is he?" Zane asked Garmadon.

"The wound on his side has healed completely thanks to Wu. However, he's lost lots of blood and needs lots of rest. How are you holding up Zane?"

"I'm alright, thank you."

"I'm sorry we had to cut our meeting short and that I had to make you fight out there. But according to Cole's soldiers, you're quite the combatant. Were you a soldier back in Ninjago?"

"Something like that. We are known as ninjas back in Ninjago."

"Ninjas , huh? Never heard the term, but you fight well. I'm sure you have protected Ninjago countless times. Anyways, someone's been waiting for you." Garmadon gestured to Pixal. Pixal saw Zane's face and flew on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Zane smiled

"I'm fine."

That night, Cole, Garmadon, Wu, and Zane discussed how find Chen and his accomplices. Zane's impressive fighting skills and his getting home possibly related to Chen's arrival allowed him access to their inner circle.

"My spy told me that he's spotted them making camp in Hiroshi's labyrinth," said Cole. "He'll be doing more reconnaissance tonight."

"Shouldn't we attack while they're vulnerable?" Garmadon asked.

"We don't know if how vulnerable they really are, and he'll be able to tell us what else they have planned so that we'll be ready."

"But Ronin's quite the shady character. Are you sure he won't turn on us?"

"And that's why we pay him handsomely. Besides the shadiness is what prevents them from suspecting. They just think he's a weapons expert who's in it for the money."

Garmadon sighed. "Alright, do what you must. We will continue this when your spy has gathered more intel. Meeting adjourned." Everyone rose from their seats and prepared for bed. Zane went back to the blacksmith shop where Nya and Kai were. When he got there he saw Kai sharpening his prized sword and Nya sleeping on the couch.

"Aren't you planning to rest?" Zane asked the blacksmith.

"In a while." He continued to sharpen his sword. Zane let him be and entered his room. After Kai was satisfied with his work, he put the sword in its scabbard. Just as he put his sword down, a flash of red caught his eye. Curious, Kai peeped out the window. A redhead was silently running toward the village's border.

'Skylor?' He grabbed his sword and sped out the door. He followed her to the village's edge and hid behind a nearby house. He then saw her create a hole through the village barrier with her magic. 'What is she doing?' Skylor stepped through the hole and sprinted away. Kai wasted no time. He jumped through the hole before it closed and followed the red haired girl. As Skylor ran at top speed, Kai silently followed behind. 'Where the heck does she think she's going?' She raced down the plains which has become the this morning's battlefield. She suddenly braked at the entrance of the forest. She then summoned a small flame in the palm of her hand and proceeded inside.

When Kai saw just where Skylor had entered, he froze in fear. He knew this part of this part forest. It was the closest route to the place that held much sorrow in his past. Hiroshi's Labyrinth. Memories of his parents and how they died flooded him. What if the ground would swallow him up too? Did that creature still exist? Will he see his parent's corpses in there? He held his head in his hands. Now's not the time to be afraid. Kai looked ahead to see Skylor's faint light. Taking a deep breathe, he dove into the thick foliage. Right into Hiroshi's Labyrinth.

* * *

 **Just some notes on some stuff:**

 **-I based the iron golems on those from Minecraft XD**

 **-Jay's dart cartridges are based on the weapon of a Hassansin in Disney's Prince of Persia :D**


	7. Chapter 7

Kai followed Skylor deeper inside the maze taking care not to crush anything under his weight. The trees covered the night sky making Skylor's makeshift torch the only thing visible for miles. She was walking slowly and lightly, always looking both ways before proceeding forward. She finally stopped and her flame died out. A dead end. Skylor moved to a pile of rocks along the side and put her hand on them. As she ran her hand across their rough surface, she found what she was looking for. She felt intricate carvings on a certain stone and placed her palm on it. A bright orange light glowed around her hand. The light then travelled from the stone to the wall and created another doorway. The girl stepped in and so did Kai. What was now in front of them was Chen's camp. Several bonfires crackled here and there. Tents were pitched and the largest tarp sat at the edge of the camp. Skylor swiped a bow and a quiver of arrows from nearby guard and proceeded towards the big tarp where Chen, Clouse and the five Serpentine Chiefs were discussing. She ducked on a nearby root to get a better view. From what she was observing, they were having quite the dispute.

"Good going Chen!" Chief Skalidor yelled. "You told us that the golems would outmatch the mages. But after today, all they are is rubble!"

"I'm starting to question our allegiance to you," Skales added. "I'm starting to think that you just wanted us to run rampant on them for fun!"

"Well I'm starting to think you don't know what you're doing at all!" Chief Acidicus chimed in.

"Calm down, gentlemen," Chen told them in an annoying tone. "You know I always had your best interests at heart."

"ENOUGH!" Chief Pythor roared at the top of his lungs. Everyone fell silent to his thunderous voice. "Chen. Apparently you have only told us part of your plans. You told us we would storm Jamanakai village and take control of it! Then you would give us the spell we've been asking for. But we were chased out of there like frightened dogs running with their tails between their legs."

"Oh please Pythor! That _is_ the plan! Well, more like the endgame of the plan. This was just the first phase of my real agenda. Besides, I got what I came for back there."

"Yes, yes you got the boy's blood. So you can travel between worlds, I know. But remember our deal. We only allied ourselves with you because you had the power to turn us into the snakes of old."

"Exactly, so you better keep yourself and your fellow chiefs in check." The Serpentine Chiefs all grumbled under their breathes. They knew better than to trust the crazy and unpredictable warlord, but he has the one thing they have always wanted.

Meanwhile, the hidden Skylor heard everything. No way was that happening on her watch. She took an arrow from the quiver positioned it on its bow. She aimed for Chen's heart. 'It ends now, monster.' But before she released the arrow, she immediately spun around sending a kick towards Kai, who was slowly approaching her. Kai leaned back and avoided Skylor's blow. He took a few steps back and held his hands up.

"Not one step further," Skylor whispered, though it was more of a growl than a whisper. However, Kai chose to ignore her warning and dashed towards her. Skylor released her arrow. Kai immediately moved out of the arrow's firing line, making it hit a nearby tree. He then took out his sword, held it in a backhand position and brought it to Skylor's throat before she could reload another arrow.

"Nice night for a walk, isn't it?" Kai said before putting the sword in its scabbard, releasing Skylor from his blade's touch.

"What are you doing here?" Skylor asked with much disdain in her voice. She then resumed to her original hiding position.

"I might ask you the same thing," Kai coolly replied as he crouched down to join her.

"Why I'm out here is my business alone," the red head replied coldly. "If you were following me, I suggest you leave."

"Not until you leave with me," Kai said with determination. "There's no way I'm leaving you here by yourself."

"You're just putting yourself in danger," Skylor replied. She was starting to get really annoyed.

"At least I'm endangering myself for someone, not for myself." Skylor said nothing after that.

"So, why are you here?" Kai spoke once more. Skylor sighed inwardly. This guy wasn't going to shut up anytime soon.

"Trying to end the war." Kai tilted his head.

"How?"

"By cutting off the head of the snake den."

"You mean?" Kai's eyes drifted to the tarp, where the warlord was. "You're going to kill Chen?!" He looked back to see Skylor already pulling out another arrow and placing it on her bow. He grabbed her hand and Skylor's burning eyes met his.

"You can't do that! There's guards surrounding him! And there's his number two. You'll get spotted before you can even get a clear shot." Skylor briskly removed her hand from Kai's grip.

"I already had a clear shot earlier and I would have taken it, had you not followed me here." She proceeded to take aim. "I can do this. That man must pay for his crimes."

"You're his daughter, aren't you?"

That struck a chord inside her. She felt herself breathing heavily. She loosened her grip and turned to looked at Kai once more.

"How'd you know that?" Her voice was cracking, like she wanted to cry.

"I kinda figured it out," the swordsman replied. "I saw you before and during the battle. How eager you were to get to fight, and you're eyes seemed to be always looking for someone. I'm guessing that must have been Chen. You're eyes show pure hatred, the same kind of hatred a child would have to a bad parent."

Skylor felt her hands shake. Her memories were flooding her mind. She shook her head violently and tried to take aim again. "You don't know what it was like living with that man. He was a monster. His treachery must end now." She felt Kai's hand on hers once more, but this time, with a gentler touch. She looked to see him looking at her, his eyes showed compassion and sorrow.

"His treachery will end. Just not like this." Kai took the bow and arrow from her. Skylor felt tears invade her eyes. She hung her head, letter her hair hide her face.

"I just want it to end," Skylor sobbed. "I can't let what he has done to me happen to anyone else." She felt two arms wrap themselves around her as she felt her body being pressed against Kai's broad chest.

"Shhh, it's okay," Kai comforted as he stroke Skylor's hair. He'd been through this before with Nya. When his sister was hurting, he would embrace her, stroking her hair until she calmed down. "I promise that Chen will be brought to justice, but it will be done the right way. We won't let him hurt anymore innocent lives." Skylor felt herself relax and found herself slowly returning Kai's embrace. When they finally pulled away, Kai helped Skylor up.

"Lookie what we got here," a husky voice said from the shadows. Kai immediately took out his sword and Skylor readied her hands. A smoke bomb suddenly was thrown at them and both started coughing.

"Come on!" Kai grabbed Skylor's hand and they sprinted away from the smoke. They didn't get far when Kai suddenly tripped and Skylor collided with him, resulting in them hitting the ground. Kai looked at his feet and saw that they were tied up. He tried to grab his sword, but found that a foot was already on top of it. He looked up to see a silhouette of a man with a wide brimmed hat.

"Lights out pal." Kai felt a sharp pain hit his head as his eyes were invaded by darkness and he felt his consciousness quickly slip away. When he came to, he realized his hands were tied to a wooden pole. His head was still spinning from the blow he took earlier. As he took in his surroundings, he realized he was in the big tarp, and that Chen, Clouse, and the Serpentine Chiefs were all looking at him. If only he had his sword. His sword! Where was it? He then saw something shiny in Chen's hands.

"Nice sword," Chen said as he continued to examine it's metal. "Tell me, are you a soldier, or a blacksmith?"

"Why don't you release me and let's find out?" Kai cockily replied.

"Bah! Don't make me laugh," Clouse scoffed. " He's just playing with you Master, trying to get loose so that he can escape."

"Yes, yes Clouse. I'm not dumb you know." Chen corrected his right hand. He then set the sword on the round table in the middle of the room.

"Why don't you just kill them now?" Skales asked Chen. "They obviously know too much."

"Patience, patience," Chen replied. "We'll get to that part soon enough."

Kai then remembered: Skylor! He scanned the area for her. He found her unconscious on the other pole, being tied up by a man who was wearing a straw hat.

"There. That oughta keep you from bailing." That same husky voice. A silhouette with a wide brimmed hat. He turned around and Kai saw his features: Brown hair that almost reached his shoulders, some stubble surrounding his face, and an eyepatch on his right eye.

"Who are you?" Kai mustered himself to ask. His assailant tipped his hat.

"Ronin's the name, and weapons are my game."

"And you're helping these madmen slaughter an innocent village? Why?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to make a living, alright? As long as I'm paid, I don't care which side I'm working for." Chen put his hand on Ronin's shoulder roughly.

"Ronin here has been providing us with weaponry for as long as I can remember. We bought those golems from him!" Ronin waved Chen's hand off.

"Yeah, yeah. You got your golems alright. Now where's my money?" Clouse led Ronin out of the tarp to collect his reward.

Meanwhile Skylor finally awoke, and the first thing she sees is Chen's face. He was sitting a across her, a smug grin on his features. She immediately looked away and shut her eyes in fear. Chen cupped her chin and forced her to face him.

"It's good to see you again, Skylor."

Skylor's eyes blazed with fury. She couldn't bear to see him this close to her. She spat at her father's face, only to receive a slap from him.

"Is that anyway to treat your father?" Chen reached for a handkerchief inside his sleeve and wiped his face.

"You have a daughter?" Pythor asked in disbelief. "I never thought you were one for marriage."

"I'm not," Chen replied. "But that's a story for another time. Now, if you will excuse me, I wish to speak to my daughter alone." The five chiefs bowed their heads in respect and left the meeting area, just as Clouse emerged.

"And how did our guest receive his payment?" Chen asked.

"Like a child who just received the most amazing gift."

Chen turned back to Skylor, standing some distance from her. "How have you been?" He asked in a weirdly cheerful tone.

"Save your breathe," Skylor retorted. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Awww, can't a daddy just be happy to see his little girl? It's been so long since we've seen each other. Ten years in fact. You've grown so much and take after your mother quite well. I'm guessing you're a high-level mage by now?" Skylor didn't say anything.

"Silent as ever are we?" Chen then looked at Kai, who was glaring at him the whole time.

"Seems that you've made a new friend. Not that you've had any to begin with." Chen began to move toward Kai. There was something about this young man that made him recognize his face somehow. The warlord pulled Clouse aside. "Clouse, is it just me or this boy looks very familiar?" Both of them look at Kai again.

"You're right, Master," Clouse replied. "He bears a striking resemblance to that man we ran into ten years ago."

"Ah yes yes! It was that meddling blacksmith and his wife that almost got to the realm crystal first. But thanks to your pet Clouse, we were able to take care of them. However, we lost the realm crystal that day because of them. Well, no matter. We have it now."

Kai couldn't believe his ears. "What do you mean you 'took care of them'?" He felt all sorts of emotions rile up within him again: anger, bitterness, anxiety. He tried to break free of his bonds but they were too strong. Chen saw the man's inner struggle and decided to take advantage.

"Ahh perhaps they were your parents, and that blacksmith must have been your father. Too bad. They shouldn't have meddled in my business." He let out a maniacal laugh.

"It was you! You took them away from me! I'LL KILL YOU! Kai wanted to break free and slice Chen's throat with his sword. Yes, he told Skylor earlier that her father will be brought to justice correctly, but now his mind was telling him to end him there and now.

"Kai!" Skylor's voice called out to him. Kai snapped out of his rage for a second and saw Skylor looking at him intently.

"The right way," she said. She was right. Kai slowly backed down and slumped onto the pole he was tied up against.

"That's a good boy." Chen patted Kai's head and went back to talk to Skylor. "Anyhow, sweetie, how would you like to return to my side and help me conquer the world?"

"After everything you've done? After what you did to my mother? I'd no sooner die!" Chen just shrugged.

"Heh, suite yourself. Since you won't join me, then you're of no use to me. I guess I'll just honor your request." Chen took Kai's sword from the table.

"You monster!" Kai shouted. "You'd kill your own daughter?!" He tried to break free again, but the ropes only burned his skin. Chen turned to face him.

"What? Would you rather have Clouse do it? You know what, on second thought, maybe I should kill you first. You talk too much."

"Allow me, Master," Clouse offered as he approached Kai and put his hands on either side of Kai's face. He began chanting a spell and Kai began to groan loudly in agony, like his skull was being crushed.

Meanwhile Chen was walking towards his daughter while holding Kai's sword in his hands. "It's been fun, Sky, but honestly, I really did hate your guts." He stuck his tongue out at her before raising his sword to strike her. "Ta-ta." He lunged the sword straight towards the girl's chest.

BOOM!

Skylor put her hands forward casting a barrier between her and her father a split second before the sword reached her. A shockwave of energy released from Skylor hands, sending the evil warlord crashing towards the large center table. The mage wasted no time. She blasted Clouse with a fireball, causing the dark wizard to stumble back and release Kai from his grip. Clouse doused the flames on his robes. He then saw his master down and immediately ran to his aid. Skylor scrambled to her feet and slid to Kai's side. She summoned Kai's sword towards her and cut his restraints.

"Come on," Skylor swung Kai's arm over her shoulder, allowing her to support him as they made their escape.

"Guards!" Clouse yelled. Foot soldiers immediately arrived and began searching for the escapees. Skylor forcefully trudged along as fast as she could. Kai was still in no condition to walk. She saw a nearby tent and went inside. She set Kai down and placed her hands on either side of Kai's head. She began to chant a healing spell and Kai felt the immense throbbing in his head slowly disappear.

"Aw ain't that cute?" Skylor snapped out of her concentration. Ronin had just entered the tent and began walking towards the small table on the far end of the tent. Skylor grabbed Kai's sword and pointed it in Ronin's direction.

"Relax, sweetheart," the weapons expert told her. "I ain't gonna rat you out again. Not yet anway." He rolled a piece of parchment and handed it to Skylor. "Make sure you get this to General Cole, ya hear?" Skylor kept her stance, maintaining distance between her and the sketchy character.

"What are you waiting for?" said Ronin."An invitation?"

"What is it?" She asked she slowly approached to get the parchment.

"It's intel on the next phase of Chen's plan." Skylor takes the paper from Ronin, slips it in her pocket, and goes back to help Kai who was now back on his feet, but was rubbing his head.

"You better get going," Ronin said. "You've got a thirty second window before I start yellin'."

As Skylor helped Kai out the tent, she turned back at Ronin. "Why are you helping us?"

"Like I said earlier, I'm just a guy tryin' to make a living. I don't care which side I'm on, as long as I get paid. And if you're wonderin' why I knocked you and your boyfriend out, I just didn't wanna blow my cover. I knew you'd get yourselves out eventually. Now get outta here before we all get in trouble."

Skylor slipped out of the tent and silently made her way to the camp's secret entrance, while supporting Kai's weight. Kai did his best to match Skylor's fast pace. Her healing spell worked but he was still a little disoriented. They finally reached the secret doorway and got out before they got spotted. Skylor set Kai down and she sat across him to catch her breathe.

"Thanks," Kai said to her. "Thanks for, well, back there."

"You shouldn't have come," Skylor replied. A small smile crept to her lips. "But I'm glad you did. Thank you."

"I guess that means we're even then." Kai stood up. Back to his old self, he held out his hand. "Let's head back home, shall we?" Skylor took his hand in hers and pulled herself up and the two began walking out of the forest. As the two walked side by side, with Skylor's flame leading the way, Kai spoke again.

"Hey, Skylor?"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry you had to see me face my demons back there. With Chen I mean. I told you that he would be brought to justice properly but when I found out what happened to my parents, I couldn't control myself. I'm sorry." Kai felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry for everything my father has made you endure. I'm also sorry about your parents. They must have been very wonderful people."

"They were."

The pair finally made it back to Jamanakai village. Skylor made another hole through the magical barrier and she and Kai stepped through.

"I have to get this to General Cole right away'" Skylor said, taking the parchment that Ronin gave her from her pocket.

"He's asleep by now," Kai told her. "If I know that guy, he'll be knocked out until sunrise. We can give that to him first thing in the morning. Besides, we need to get that bruise fixed." He pointed above her right brow.

"I can use a healing spell to fix it," Skylor told him as she touched her brow.

Kai shrugged. "Well I'm tired and I'm sure you are too. So why don't you spend the night at my place?"

"Wait, what?"

"I'm guessing the gates to Wu's academy is closed and no one's awake at this hour except us."

"Oh I don't want to be a bother."

"You won't be. Now come on." Kai took the girl's wrist and headed for the blacksmith shop. The door slowly creaked open and the two went in. Nya had retired to her bedroom, leaving the living room empty. Kai prompted Skylor to sit down and wait for him as Kai went to his bedroom. A few seconds later, he came put with a small towel and gave it to Skylor.

"There's a bathroom over there, in case you wanna freshen up." Skylor took the towel from his hands and went to the bathroom to clean her face. When she finished, she found a glass and pitcher of water waiting for her with Kai sitting on the couch, already in a fresh batch of clothes.

"Thanks," Skylor said as she sat down and drank the cool, clean water. She then saw that Kai still had his own bruise on the left side of his forehead and his hands were still wounded from the ropes. "Here. Let me." She placed a hand on Kai's bruise and castef her healing spell, causing the bruise to slowly disappear. She then took Kai's hands on hers and repeated the process and the rope burns slowly faded away.

"Thanks," said Kai in an impressed tone. "Gotta teach Nya those tricks".

The red head chuckled. "She'll learn them in time." Then there was a long pause. Skylor looked down at her empty glass, staring at the beads that formed inside.

"Kai?"

"What is it?"

"There's something I need to tell you. About your parents."

Kai felt uneasy. After what he had been through earlier, he wasn't quite sure he was ready for more revelations. But he wanted to know anyway.

"Go on."

"I was there the day they died."

* * *

 **Bwahahaha! Skylor's not a spy! She's just a lost little girl trying to kill daddy... Wow that sounds dark. Anyway, thanks for the reviews on Chapter 6. I'm kinda glad that you guys thought Skylor might be a spy and all, like in the tournament season. I wanted to give her a different role, something that would allow me to dive into her character and past a bit more in this universe. Did anyone catch that somewhat reference of Joker from Batman Beyond? XD**

 **So... review! What are your thoughts on this chapter? Was Skylor involved in the death of Kai's parents? Which side is Ronin really on? Will Skylor reveal more of her past in the next chapter? Stay tuned!**

 **Aaaand here comes the bad news... I won't be able to update as much as I normally could, now that school is starting for me. Due to my busy sched, I may be on hiatus for five months at most. See you guys till then ~ Snowflakeshard**


	8. Chapter 8

Skylor set down her glass and clutched the hem of her robes. "I was there. I saw how it all happened." She closed her eyes. She was afraid of what Kai was going to say next. She felt Kai's hands on top of hers. She opened her eyes to see him looking straight at her.

"It's okay. Please, tell me what happened."

Skylor gulped. "You're not gonna like it."

"I know."

* * *

"Father! Please! Stop it!" The cries of a twelve-year old girl shrieked inside Hiroshi's labyrinth. The girl with bright red hair tied back into a ponytail pulled at her father's arm, begging him to cease what he was doing. They were at the mouth of a huge pit -perfectly hidden from view - watching Clouse's pet serpent attack innocent explorers down below. The poor people tried to get to the exit or climb out of the pit, only to dodge out of the serpent's deadly fangs. Skylor watched from above, as a huge lizard rose from the ground, making its victims scatter like ants.

"Why should I?" Chen replied with a hearty laugh. "This is so much fun to watch! Oh-oh Clouse! Over there!" Clouse nodded and summoned the serpent towards a man and a woman trying desperately to get back with the group. The giant snake slithered its way toward them, making a dividing line between them and their team.

"Please! You'll kill them!" Skylor kept tugging Chen's robes until Chen violently struck her, sending her body to ground, grazing her arm. The girl let out a small whimper. Chen looked down to see her wounded arm.

"Aww. Look what you did. If you had sit still and let Daddy alone, you wouldn't get that boo-boo." He then called a guard over. "Take care of that would you?" The guard led Skylor away from the scene. He took her to where one of the horses were waiting. He took out a first aid kit and proceeded to clean her wound. He then took out some bandages to wrap Skylor's arm. With a grunt he escorted her back to her father.

When she returned, Chen had ordered Clouse to have his serpent chase the other explorers with his giant snake, leaving the man and woman to fend for themselves. As soon as the snake drilled its way into the ground, the man and woman leaned on each other's backs to protect each other's blindsides. The man had a sword in his hand, ready to slice anything into oblivion, while the woman summoned a streak of water around her hands.

"Let's have some fun first," Chen said while rubbing his hands. "Send them some playmates." Clouse snapped his fingers, signaling several guards to go down the pit and apprehend them. As soon as the swordsman and water mage saw their incoming opponents, they ran in opposite directions, fighting anyone who crossed their path. It was like a dance: the swordsman was swift and agile, swinging his blade with finesse, while the water mage waved her hands in several patterns, letting the streak of water lash everyone it came into contact with. Just as the two saw their opportunity to escape, the ground beneath them began to grab hold of their legs. Both saw in horror that they were sinking. The woman knew no spells to counter the strange occurrence and desperately tried to break free of her quicksand prison. The man did the same but failed just as well. He tried to stab the ground and use his sword to pull himself up, but the ground was too shifty and it swallowed his sword faster than it was swallowing them. Seeing no escape from their impending demise, they locked themselves in each other's arms and closed their eyes as they waited for the ground to swallow them completely.

Just as the ground reached their waist, the earth stopped moving and returned to its more solid state. The pair opened their eyes relieved. But their relief was very short-lived, for they saw Chen descending into the pit, followed by a swarm of guards. The warlord was clapping his hands and Clouse was right behind him.

"Bravo, bravo!" Chen exclaimed. "What a very beautiful performance!" The swordsman placed his arm in front of the water mage, signaling her to stay behind him.

"Oh there's no need for that really," Chen continued. "Tell me, what is a lovely couple doing in a place like this?"

"If we tell you," replied the man. "Will you let us go?"

Chen stroked his chin. "Hmm, we'll see about that. For now, Clouse?" Clouse nodded and levitated the two back to the ground. Once both of them got their footing, both checked each other for injuries, asking if the other was alright.

"Alright, alright!" Chen interjected. "Enough of the nicities. So, what are people like you doing in a forest like this?" Chen asked them.

"Please," the man begged. "Let me and my wife go. I am but a blacksmith, searching for a rare metal that's said to be found in Hiroshi's labyrinth."

"Oh?" Chen continued. "And what about this rare metal? How did you hear about it?"

"If I tell you, will you promise to let us go?"

"I told you. We shall see. If your information is useful, then I may let you go," the warlord said, looking at his nails absentmindedly.

"I only heard of it as a legend," the blacksmith began. "It is said that it is rare metal found in the labyrinth, and its location only revealed every ten years. That's why I travelled here to find it." At this Chen laughed.

"You think it's a hunk of metal? That's cute. If you only did some more research about it, you'd know it's the realm crystal, not some iron ingot!" Once he finished laughing, he turned to them once more.

"Is that all?"

"I swear! That's all I know! So please! Let us go!"

"Do you know where it is?"

"I haven't pinpointed its location yet. When the comet Arcturus flew overhead, it only showed a vague location of where the caverns where the mystical object is said to be kept."

"And you went with this hunch? Huh, you're either brave or just plain crazy. Like me!" Chen let out a maniacal laugh. "Well, believe it or not Mr. Blacksmith I am looking for the same thing you are. Except I already know where it is. But for the fun of it, I'll show you where it is found so that you'll get that feeling of so close and yet so far." Chen ordered some guards to take them prisoner.

"Move!" A guard took the blacksmith by the back of his shirt forcing him to walk, and another grabbed his wife by the arm. The group walked deeper into the labyrinth, with Chen leading the way and with Clouse on his right. Skylor silently walked behind the group, without making a sound. They finally came across a waterfall, with a tunnel right behind the curtain of water. One by one they group slowly entered the cave. At the very back of it was a huge boulder.

"This is it Master," Clouse spoke. "The realm crystal is just behind this stone." He then ran his hand across the stone's course surface, noticing how it reflected the faint cave lights. He gently thrust his hand through and pulled out the most majestic gem anyone could have ever laid their eyes on. Everyone's mouths went agape. Clouse gently placed the realm crystal in his master's hands. Chen was more than ecstatic to receive it.

"It's mine! After years of searching! It's finally mine!" He danced around like some child who received the perfect gift. He showed it to the blacksmith who eyed him gravely.

"See this? This is what you've been looking for, Mr. Blacksmith. And now that you've seen it, I guess there's no point in letting you and your lady live." With that the cave with Clouse, leaving only the man, his wife, their guards and Skylor, who was too scared to move.

The guards then forced both captives to their knees. Both slowly removed their swords and slowly positioned them near the captives' throat. But before they could deliver their sentence, one of the guards received a huge blow on the head, causing him to drop his sword and tend to his throbbing head. He turned to see Skylor holding a plank of wood. She then proceeded to throw a fire ball at him. The guard seethed in pain as the flames came in contact with his face. Next thing he knew, he lost his balance as he was kicked at his side by the water mage, causing him to stumble away from the group. The other guard was also to taken aback giving the blacksmith time to also disarm him and knock him out. Skylor then burned their bonds. The woman smiled at her.

"Thank you, young one," she told the red-haired girl.

"You better go before Father and Clouse catch you," Skylor replied.

"We aren't leaving without that crystal," the Blacksmith said. "We can't let Chen have it." He took a peep outside the waterfall and assessed the surroundings. "We can't get out of here without being wide open." He turned to look at his wife. " Can you provide cover?" She simply nodded.

"Good luck," Skylor told them.

"You're not coming with us?" the mage asked Skylor. Skylor shook her head. The woman knelt to her level and put her hands on Skylor's shoulders.

"You don't have to stay here. With Chen. Come with us. We'll protect you from them."

"No one can protect me. Clouse's magic is too strong for anyone to handle." The mage smiled.

"There is a school in the mountains. One that teaches the art of magic. It is home to a very powerful wizard named Wu. He can and will protect you."

"Can he really protect me?" Skylor asked. Her resolve was slowly melting.

"Yes. Believe it."

Skylor finally nodded.

"My name's Ame and this is my husband Aiden."

"Skylor."

Ame set out to do her work. Her hands swept across the waterfall and a platform of ice was created and the three of them stepped on. With one swift motion the trio burst out of the waterfall in breakneck speed with a ball of flowing water encasing them. They zoomed past Chen and Clouse and Aiden snatching the realm crystal out of Chen's grasp.

"Hey!" Chen yelled. He stamped the ground like an angry child. "Get them! Get them Clouse!" Clouse immediately summoned his serpent and the giant reptile burst from the ground aiming to swallow them whole. Ame reacted immediately and steered them clear out of the way. Skylor on the other hand almost lost her balance and wrapped her arms on Ame's waist. The water mage was surprised by this but nothing of it. They had to get out of there after all. The angered serpent prepared for another strike. It lunged at then again and again but Ame always got out of the way in time. The serpent was very pissed now, but instead of lunging for another go, it retracted back into the ground, allowing the trio to escape.

"What's your stupid snake doing Clouse?! They're getting away!" Clouse spat at his number two.

"Patience, Master," Clouse replied. "Patience."

Aiden, Ame and Skylor finally placed some distance between them and the enemy. They made it to a clearing and the three jumped off the ice disk and watched it melt into water. Ame, who had expelled all her energy during the chase wobbled and fell, only to be caught in Aiden's arms.

"Easy, Ame. I got you," Aiden assured his wife as he helped her up. This was suppose to be our rendezvous with Gordon, before that snake attacked and separated us." He looked up at the sky. "It's almost sundown."

"Then we have to keep moving!" Skylor said. "Clouse's snake not too far behind!"

"She's right" Ame added. "We have to keep moving."

"Are you sure you can make it back?" asked Aiden in a concerned voice. I can carry you if you want."

"I'm fine Aiden." Ame stubbornly told him. She steadied herself before walking towards the edge of Hiroshi's labyrinth, making Aiden walk beside her. Skylor silently trudged behind them. Not long after, they hear a faint voice in the distance. It grew louder with the crunching of leaves underfoot as well as the rustling of plants and shrubbery being cut off.

"Aiden! Ame! Are you there?" The voice called out.

"Cliff!" Aiden yelled back. "We're over here!" Suddenly, the ground shook from beneath them. "Get back!" Aiden pushed Ame and Skylor to safety just as the ground burst open which sent him flying. Vliff Gordon and his search party arrived just in time to see Clouse's giant serpent rise from the ground. Its eyes now burning with fury it dove straight for Aiden, who struggled to get his bearings from the impact. Without warning, the serpent fit Aiden inside it's mouth and dragging him down into the ground below.

"Aiden!" Ame yelled as she scrambled to her feet to chase after the snake. She has led Skylor under some bushes to hide. By the time she reached where her husband had been taken, the only thing left was a hole in the ground. Ame was about to jump into the hole when she heard Cliff yell "Look out!" She turned around just in time to see the snake appear once more. The snake wasted no time and dove for the water mage with its mouth wide open. It swallowed Ame in one go before drilling back into the ground from whence it came.

At that moment, every one was at a standstill. Cliff was mortified and utterly grieved at what he just witnessed and his companions were also grief-stricken. Skylor was also horrified at what happened. How could her father take away such kind and innocent people? They couldn't be dead. Could they? She had to make sure. Thoughts raced around her mind as she made her way back to Chen's camp. She could get caught if she went back. Or even worse, Chen would punish her severely for running away. This might be her only chance at freedom and she was throwing it away for a couple she just met? 'A couple that saved my life' she assured herself. 'They deserve better than this.'

She got back to the camp by night fall. When she got there, she heard grunts coming from the big tent. She crouched and crawled her way inside, hiding behind one of the tables. She then heard a loud thud. She took a peek and saw that it was Chen who slammed his hand on the table.

"Where is it?! Where did that meddling blacksmith hide that crystal?" Chen looked at Clouse with frustration and raised his hand. "I was this close." He gestured with his fingers. "This close! How could something like that elude me?!"

Clouse, calm as ever, only replied. "Forgive me Master. Perhaps my pet did not spit out all of his remains."

Remains? Skylor placed a hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming. So they really were gone.

"I highly doubt it Clouse." Chen continued. "Perhaps that mage did a teleportation spell of some sorts to send the Realm Crystal somewhere else. If that's the case, she could have sent it anywhere! Regardless, if it's gone, we'll have to wait another ten years to find out it's next location."

"Perhaps she sent it back to it's original hiding place?" Clouse suggested.

"Even if she did Clouse, we can't open it anymore since the portal had already closed. The day is over and that area is hidden and unreachable for another decade!"

Clouse mouthed more apologies to his master before leaving the tent. Chen decided to sleep off his bitterness for losing the realm crystal and having to wait another ten years to find it. Skylor waited for the man to fall asleep before crawling out of the tent. But instead of heading out of the camp, she silently made her way to Clouse's tent. It wasn't as big as Chen's but it was big enough for him and his pet serpent to fit. Skylor grimaced at the sight of the dark wizard as he snored with steady breathing. The girl held her breath as she approached the snake. Using a poison spell that Clouse forced her to learn, she cast it all over the serpent.

'This is for Ame and Aiden.' Skylor thought as she hovered her hands over the snake's sleeping form, hoping that her spell would affect the snake severely. Once she was done, she tiptoed her way out of the tent, and out of the camp and disappeared into the night.

* * *

When Skylor finished her story, she was crying again. "I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry Kai." She struggled to maintain her composure but her memories and emotions got the better of her. "I was so useless! I could have done something." She then realized how quiet it was. She forced herself to look at Kai's face with her puffy eyes and saw Kai's face was pale as a ghost's. His whole body tensed up and tears were freely flowing from his cheek and he didn't say a word. He just let the water works happen. When Skylor saw this, she became even more guilty and started asking for Kai's forgiveness.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so, sorry. Please forgive me." She repeated this over and over with her hands covering her face in shame. After a while, Kai finally regained his senses. He rested his head on his hands and ran his right hand through his hair. He saw Skylor still crying and scooted closer to her. He took her hands and his, signaling Skylor to look at him.

"It isn't your fault," Kai assured her. "You may have been there but that doesn't mean you're responsible for what happened. Whatever happened ten years ago, was not your fault. I'll never blame you and I never will. I promise." Skylor continued crying and buried her face in Kai's chest. Kai wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair like earlier that evening. Skylor's breath finally slowed down and she felt comfort in the young blacksmith's embrace. Before she knew it, she fell into a deep sleep. Kai didn't realize this until after a few minutes. When he noticed that Skylor wasn't moving, he assumed that she was just taking her time before she was ready to talk again. He was proven wrong when he felt the girl's slow and steady breathing as Skylor's back rose up and down against his hand. He then yawned in exhaustion. It was early in the morning, the sun wasn't up yet, and they've been awake this whole time. Although he didn't find it appropriate to sleep beside a girl he just met, he was too worn out to move a muscle. Slumber finally overtook him and he fell back on the couch, with his arms still around her.

* * *

 **IT'S. ALIIIIIVE!**

 **Hello everyone! I'm sorry I kept you guys waiting. This chapter really squeezed it out of me. I hope you guys liked it.**

 **Thank you again so much for your reviews in the previous chapter! It continues to inspire me to keep writing even after my hiatus. Looking forward for more!**

 **Note:The story behind the names of Kai and Nya's parents is that "Ame" (ah-meh) means "rain" in Japanese and "Aiden" means "Fire" in Celtic.**

 **The Raven's Echo -** Hahaha that's Ronin alright. Yeah she wasn't involved, she just witnessed their deaths and feels guilty for not being able to help them. Hmmm about Skylor recognizing Kai, yes she recognized him, she just refused to say anything. Don't worry. More reveals and follow ups will happen in the upcoming chapters. Aaaand, are Skylor and Kai getting together here? Hmmmm, maybe, maybe not. Buuut so far with what's already happened, I think it's safe to assume where their relationship is leaning towards XD

 **Polydactyly Zodiac -** Hmmm why didn't Zane ask for shurekins. Well tbh I wasn't planning on letting him use shurekins in this realm. And it's been shown that Zane can also use a sword like in seasons 5 and 6. So yeah. I hope this helped. :)


	9. Chapter 9

The sun's rays slowly peeped through the windows and on Kai's face. He felt an extra weight on his chest and looked down to see Skylor still sound asleep, matching the steady rhythm of his breath. He didn't know what to do at the moment. He wanted to stay longer like that but at the same time knew that he should get up. He immediately had his answer when a sharp "Ahem!" reached his ears. He immediately turned to see Nya looking skeptically at him with her arms crossed.

"This isn't what it looks like," Kai whispered.

"Uh-huh," Nya said as she turned around. " If you're done with whatever you're doing, I prepared a short breakfast. We're expected to be back at the barracks by now," She turned on her heal and disappeared into the kitchen.

Kai sighed and gently patted Skylor's head. Skylor stirred at his touch and she opened her eyes to face him. At first she just blinked several times, obviously still dazed and drowsy. Once her vision cleared, she realized how close their faces were and that Kai's face was slowly turning red.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" She stammered as she scrambled to get of him, hitting Kai's stomach in the process and falling of the couch with a thud. She then got up and dusted herself off. "l-l…don't know what happened…"

"It's okay," Kai assured her as he got up recovering from an unnecessary blow. "Nothing happened. You just fell asleep."

"Oh. Okay. Sorry."

The young blacksmith then stretched himself. "Well, we better get going. Cole's gonna want that letter."

"Right."

After heading to the kitchen to grab breakfast and earning mixed looks from Zane, Pixal and Nya, everyone went for the barracks. Cole was already there along with other soldiers gearing up, sharpening their swords and discussing amongst themselves.

"I'm headed over to Master Wu's tent," Nya said as she headed off.

"I'll go with you," Skylor told her, but not before secretly handing Kai Ronin's message to the general. It was obvious she wasn't ready for people to find out who she really was in all this mess. Kai understood this and watched her walk away with his sister.

"Shall we?" Zane's voice brought Kai back to reality and they proceeded to Cole's office. Zane took his leave and proceeded to the armory to have his sword and gear checked. That left Kai to enter the room alone where Cole was pacing back and forth with his officers. He was obviously anxious but pacing about calmed his nerves.

"Excuse me, General," Kai interrupted the meeting. "But I think you need to see this." He hands Cole the parchment. Cole took it with a raised brow and skimmed through the contents.

"Where did you get this?" he asked.

"I had a run-in with your 'friend'" Kai replied as recalled his encounter with Ronin. "He couldn't make it, so he said I'll give it to you instead." Cole nodded and proceeded to read the letter aloud.

 _If this message reaches General Cole, here are my findings within the camp._

 _Chen has acquired what is called the realm crystal said to travel from one dimension into another. He didn't say where he got it but that he has it and will use the Tornado of Creation to amplify it's power tenfold, crossing infinite dimensions at will. However he is still missing an ingredient: the blood of the creator, which he acquired from Garmadon's son. But after today's turn of events, he's got everything he needs to unleash hell. Better do something about that Cap. I may be a spy on both sides with a bias for the highest bidder, but my gold's useless if there's nothing worth spending on. They're said to perform the ritual when the sun is at it's highest point at the cliffs near the Wailing Alps. Good luck._

 _P.S. I expect to collect my next payment after and if we survive this._

"He's one heck of a spy, I'll give you that," Kai said to Cole.

"One of the best. But as long as you give him a run for his money, he's willing to do anything."

Kai clasped his hands together. "Alright, what's the plan?"

"We ride for the Wailing Alps."

"General," said one of Cole's commanders. "That's a day's ride."

"Then I suggest you get everything ready," Cole replied. "We leave immediately." He then turned to another subordinate. "Inform Lord Garmadon of this development." The soldier nodded and left. When they were alone Cole turned to face his friend.

"How _did_ you run into Ronin?" He asked, his curiosity not letting the matter slip.

"Well, if you really want to know, I noticed something off, near the boarders, and one thing led to another, I saw him and he gave it to me." Kai fibbed.

"Yeah, right," Cole snorted. "If I know you, which I do, you snuck off and went beyond the protective barrier and somehow followed him. When he detected your presence, you two probably got into some fight, and he broke your nose."

"What?! No! Can't you see my nose is perfectly fine?" Kai said pointing at his nose. "You're impossible. All I can tell you is that I found Chen's camp last night and your Ronin was there apparently."

"Then how did he manage to give you the letter? There's no way he'd give it to you so easily."

"I can't precisely say why," Kai replied. He was trying to keep Skylor's involvement a secret. "All you have to know is that I was able to get it due to certain circumstances, and that there are some things that I can't tell you yet, but I will in time. But as my friend, I ask you to trust me this once." Cole looked at the blacksmith dead in the eye as Kai waited for a response. He wasn't sure if this spiky-haired man was bluffing or telling the truth. But his gut leaned on the latter.

"Alright. I trust you." Then he put his hand on Kai's shoulder. "But if whatever you're hiding is a danger to every one in Jamanakai…"

"I promise it isn't." Kai assured him. "And if it is, you can have my prized sword and hit me with it." Cole smirked and shook his head.

"Nah. Keep your sword. I've got my scythe. Besides, your face is too ugly, I don't need to add a scar to it."

"Hey!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Zane was sharpening his sword on the grindstone. Pixal was sitting on his shoulder.

"Are you alright, Pixal?" Zane asked her.

"Hm?"

"Are you alright? You seem uneasy."

"I'm fine," the pixie replied.

"You've been tapping your foot for several minutes now."

Pixal looked down and noticed her left foot was indeed tapping at a quick pace. "I'm sorry," she said as she stopped.

"Is something the matter? Please tell me." Zane replied.

Pixal paused before letting out a sigh. "I want to be of assistance to you. I haven't been very useful to you since we've gotten here."

"Don't say that," Zane told her as he stopped working on the grindstone and held out his hand. Pixal jumped on and Zane brought her to face him. "You are always helping me Pixal. You being here reminds me of home and how adamant it is that we return. You comfort me when I am in despair and when I have no one to talk to. Kai and Nya are here, but we both know it is not the same."

"But I want to do more," Pixal told him. "I want to help you in battle, and I know I can."

"Pixal, we've been over this," Zane's voice became more stern. "I won't put you in harm's way. I-I… I can't bear to lose you." Pixal shook her head and fluttered towards Zane. She then laid her hands on his forehead and leaned her own forehead against him.

"You know I would go anywhere with you, Zane, even until death." She then floated down and landed on the flat part of Zane's blade. "But I don't want you to die either." She knelt down and placed her palms on the blade. "So allow me this act of assistance." She began chanting under her breathe and the sword began to glow a silvery light, which just vanished seconds after like nothing happened.

"What did you do?" Zane asked as he examined his sword, swinging it back and forth to see if there were any changes.

"I upgraded your sword's durability and sharpness," replied Pixel. "It can cut through stone and metal with ease. It will no longer dull, nor will it be shattered by any other blade."

"But Pixal, how?" the former nindroid asked in wonder.

"Do you remember that day I went to the library?"

"I remember."

"I actually did find some useful information about my powers. It appears I am a combat pixie and I have the power to create, upgrade or modify any weapon I choose."

"That is extraordinary."

"I can also create explosions, and heighten mine or another's reflexes to repel attacks. But, I can't do the advanced spells yet, because I lack practice. Materialization and modification are all I can do for now."

"What you did is already more that enough," Zane told her as he proceeded out of the grinding area. As he stared at his new weapon, a thought dawned upon him. "Do you think, you could do this to the other weapons here?" Pixal's eyes widened and her face smiled from ear to ear as she nodded. She and Zane then went to look for Kai and Cole to have their weapons modified as well.

* * *

Lloyd was still in the infirmary, resting from his wound. The lad was awake now, and he was a little impatient to get back on the battlefield. He was also getting bored. He looked around and saw that no one was looking. He started swirling his hand around. A ball of energy began to form above his hand and he started tossing it up and down, as if it were some ball.

"Impressive." Said a smooth but deep voice. Lloyd jolted, almost dropping his energy ball, which would have caused a small explosion. He sat up and saw his father standing at the foot of his for looking right at him.

"Oh, it's just you, Father," Lloyd said as he motioned his power to disappear from his hand as his father sat beside him.

"I never thought you would have the gift of magic. Then again, you are also your uncle's nephew." Lloyd chuckled at this.

"Why didn't you tell me you had this ability, Son? We could have sent you to Wu for further training."

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you, Father," Lloyd replied. "I'm happy with my training under Cole. I don't want to stay in a mansion learning scrolls all day. I want adventure! I want to see the world! Besides, I think I can learn this power on my own. I blasted Chen with it after all."

"And got stabbed afterwards."

"A tactical mistake I won't do again. But, come on, Father. I love being a knight. I don't think I have to be a mage too."

"What about your responsibility as the next governor?" There was a short silence between them.

"I honestly don't know, Father. It sounds too big for me. I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

Garmadon sighed. "I understand your heart's desire, Son. But remember, you have a responsibility here. You're training under General Cole because I wanted you to see what's going on at our boarders, at the same time how to defend yourself. When the time comes, the village will be under your rule, and even General Cole will submit to you. You must be ready to take over when I no longer can. Do you understand?"

Lloyd nodded. Garmadon ruffled his son's golden hair. "That's my boy." His son just rolled his eyes in amusement. The elder man then stood up and put his hands behind his back.

"Well, I take my leave then. Good night, Son."

"Dad, wait!" Lloyd called to him. He barely calls his father "Dad" but whenever he does, it was always coupled with a request or something only the two of them should know.

Garmadon turned around to face Lloyd again. "What is it, Lloyd?"

"What happened between you and Chen? I just knew you were his student, but I never knew the real reason you left him." Garmadon looked at his son's eyes for a moment before speaking.

"Very well. Chen was my teacher. Before he was a warlord, he was a soldier. He was a good fighter and an ally of my father, your grandfather. I looked up to him, almost worshipping his might. I asked him to train me, which he accepted. As years went by, he also took under his wing students who were gifted with magic, like Clouse. While I practiced with a sword outside his house, the mages were indoors. I didn't see what they were doing until curiosity got the better of me. I went and took a peek. And there I saw. Dark Magic. The one thing forbidden to practice in this realm. I couldn't continue to be under a man who would disobey the law. So I ran off, returning to my father and reporting the news. My father was angry and sent soldiers to capture him and his men. But when we reached his mansion, he was long gone, along with everyone else. He was outside of Jamanakai's boarders and we could no longer lay a finger on him. But what we didn't anticipate was that he would build his forces and conquer lands. When I heard news about it, I had our boarders patrolled by soldiers everyday. Which is why you're always out there riding with the General."

"What was so bad about the dark magic that you were afraid of it?"

"I wasn't afraid of the dark magic, but the aftermath that would follow if it were allowed to run rampant. Imagine your uncle's school turning into the cult of the dark arts."

"But Uncle Wu would never do that!"

"I know he wouldn't. He is too strong to submit to the dark side. Now, get some rest. You're wounds are still healing, so you'll be staying here until further notice."

"Wait, what? Where are you going?"

"To stop Chen and the others. Where we're going is a long way from here and you are in no condition to travel. You'll be staying here with your mother."

Lloyd groaned. "Fine."

* * *

The Wailing Alps contained the highest mountains in all the land and going to its highest peak was dead man's errand. The gusts of wind were powerful to blow even the strongest climbers clean off the mountain. Since Jamanakai was already part of the same mountain range as the Alps, it was too dangerous for everyone to trek on the its mountainous terrain. Lord Garmadon instructed everyone to ride along the foot of the range instead. Everyone was relieved, since it was a huge plain and it made riding more convenient.

The sun set as the cavalry reached the base of the Wailing Alps. The group spotted a large number of horses scattered nearby. As they looked toward the cliffs, spots of light were flickering in multiple locations.

"They're already at the cliffs," Cole said. " But they can't start their ritual unless the sun is high up. We'll set up camp here. We'll climb by daybreak."

Everyone did as they were asked. Some set up their tents while others started a bonfires to keep warm. Wu sat with his students while Garmadon sat with Cole and his soldiers. Kai, Nya, and Zane sat in a different circle.

"Mind if I join you?"

Everyone looked up to see Jay holding a canteen. Nya pointed to Kai's side, who was sitting across her. Jay simply nodded and sat beside Kai.

"Want some?" Jay handed them his canteen.

"We're fine, thanks," Nya curtly replied. Kai sighed and gratefully took Jay's canteen, since he had emptied his an hour ago. And because Jay's canteen was fairly bigger than theirs.

"Thanks, Jay," Kai told him as he handed back the container to Jay, who handed it to Zane. After Zane drank from it, he carefully tilted it until a droplet fell on it's cap.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing?" Jay asked as he felt Kai's hand on his shoulder, who motioned him to just watch. Jay saw Zane hand the cap to a small pixie that landed on his knee. The pixie then drank from the cap.

"Well, well. Never expected to see one of those in my lifetime." Jay remarked. When Pixal finished she flew in front of Jay's peripheral and curtsied.

"Thank you for your kindness."

"Hehe, don't mention it," Jay replied. "Who knew I'd be talking to a shimmery, silver fairy."

"Pixie," Zane corrected.

"If you'd like, I could upgrade your weapons' durability." Jay's eyes lit up.

"You can do that?" Pixal nodded as she asked Jay to show him his gear. Jay stood up and left the group to go to his tent, followed by Zane and Pixal, leaving the two siblings behind. When the distance was adequate, Kai spoke up.

"Why are you still so harsh towards Jay?" He asked his sister. " He's obviously trying to rebuild his friendship with you. Why won't you let him?

"Oh don't start," Nya hissed "I can never forgive him for what he did."

"Nya. It's been years since he burned that book. I'm sure he's sorry about it. You're the one who's still stuck in the past." The young mage didn't say anything and hugged her knees. Seeing that his sister was too hardheaded to say anything else, Kai stood up and put his hand on her shoulder. "Just remember, if you focus on what you've left behind, you might never see what lies ahead. Good night."

"Hey, since when were _you_ so cryptic?" Nya answered in disbelief as she watched her brother leave. Her brother simply shrugged and entered their tent. Left to herself, Nya looked up to the night sky, the stars shining in their brilliance.

'Maybe I was too hard on him, huh, Mom?' The girl thought to herself. 'Wait, not really. He had his fair share of insulting me and humiliating me whenever we cross paths. So we're even.' She stood up and dusted herself before entering the tent. 'Maybe I'll give it a few more days. See if his apology is genuine. Then time will tell.' She dropped the matter and thought no more of it.

A girl's stubborn when she wants to be.


	10. Chapter 10

The climb up the cliffs was steep and treacherous. Everyone had to leave their horses behind. Cole also decided to station some men in the camp to safeguard it from danger. The mountain shape was like that of scales on the back of a great dragon. The road to the top was filled with boulders, pebbles and sand, with little patches of grass growing here and there. The Wailing Alps was also not too far from where they were, so they could feel the blood-chilling gusts of wind hit them every now and then. As everyone trekked the steep road to the cliffs, everyone had to be weary of their footing. Slipping was common here, so everyone decided to move in pairs so that one could hold the other in an event that they lost their footing.

Chen and his forces were on the move as well. Last night they were only at the front part of the mountain. Now they started to move toward the other side of it, no doubt to hide their agenda from prying eyes. As the group walked, the path they took started to get narrower and narrower, until they had no choice but to walk in single file, with Cole leading the way. Some tried to walk on higher ground, but their feet only moved stones and unstable debris, causing it to roll downward, and hit others below them. Zane, on the other hand, took advantage of his ninja training, and leaped from one boulder to another, using his agility to move, avoiding to knock over any debris of the cliff. Kai was aching to follow his example but refrained, because he had to hold Nya's hand to prevent her from slipping. Jay decided to follow instead, since he couldn't use his mechanical wings due to the unpredictable mountain winds. He leaped from one boulder to another, and was surprisingly good at it, albeit he was a little slower than the former nindroid.

After an hour of walking, Cole lifted his hand, ordering everyone to stop. Garmadon and his brother, who were right behind him, asked why they stopped.

"There's a gap in the path," the General said. The two elder men looked over Cole and saw what the general was talking about. Indeed, there was a fifty foot drop right in front of them, and the distance was too far for a jump.

"Brother, let me and my mages go first," Master Wu suggested. "We shall make a bridge across." Garmadon nodded and leaned his back against the mountain side to let his brother and the mages behind him pass. Cole did the same. It was uncomfortable because the mages had to step over them, careful not to step in their toes. Fortunately for them, Wu only brought five of his best students, for he believed that they would be enough, while the rest stayed behind to protect Jamanakai village. Nya wasn't part of his top roster, but she requested to go to serve as one of their medical aids. After they safely made their way over the two men, they proceeded to chant their spell. Using their magic, they levitated several boulders together, creating a pathway for everyone to cross. Wu then engulfed the rocks in a white light, causing them to freeze in place and permanently attach to the mountainside.

"Onward!" The man with the beard commanded. Zane and Jay watched from above as the others made their way across the bridge.

"Zane!" Cole called out. Zane turned his attention to the commanding officer. "Scout ahead." Zane simply saluted and leaped upward towards the higher boulders, leaving Jay behind.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be fine just waiting here," Jay said to himself sarcastically.

"Jay," the inventor heard his own name being called by the general. "I need you to keep an eye out. There could be an ambush waiting for us."

"Got it," Jay responded and opted to move further up the mountain to get a better vantage point. He then went for his utility belt to get his grappling hook -which he designed himself- to move up the mountain a little faster. But as he reached for it in its compartment, it was no longer there.

"Hey, who took my grappling hook?" Jay wondered. He looked down at Cole and shouted, "Uh, Cole, might take me a longer time to get to higher ground."

"I don't care, just get up there and keep an eye out," was the man's reply. "I'm counting on you to watch our backs, Jay."

"We all are." That voice. Jay knew that voice all too well. He looked down and saw that Nya was looking at him. She wasn't facing him though, she was watching where she was going, but he swore she was making eye contact. That's all Jay needed. His heart now full of determination, he took out his twin stealth daggers(an order he had made from Kai not too long ago), and started climbing. Using the daggers to get a tighter hold on the rocks, he scaled the mountain walls. Screw Cole telling him to take a look out. Nya was watching him, and this was his moment to prove himself. After this, if they both survive, that is, maybe he will get his second chance with her. Maybe.

He finally reached an adequate altitude, wherein he could see the entire line of soldiers from edge to edge. "All clear!" He yelled. Cole acknowledged his signal and motioned everyone to move at a quicker pace. Little did they know that a Serpentine scout was watching them from afar, ready to shoot Jay with a poisoned dart.

Meanwhile, Zane and Pixal moved as quickly as they could to reach the ridge where their opponents had already gathered. When they finally made it, they took cover behind some rocks, and saw that Chen and his men were already preparing for the ritual. Chen stood in the middle, holding a vial that contained Lloyd's blood. Four people stood at all his sides. The man in his front looked like in his mid-thirties or early forties. He wore a grey robe and had black hair with a white streak. The man behind him had was lean but muscular. His skin was of the unusual shade of grey, and he wore a black leather vest that showed his biceps. His black eyes and black hair made him even more intimidating and mysterious. The man on Chen's left was a man probably at his mid-twenties or early thirties. His hair was combed backwards and looked like he took a great deal to maintain it. He wore a white dress shirt that showed a bit of his chest, and brown pants with black boots. His eyes were covered with ruby quartz spectacles, and he wore a smug smile on his face. The last man that was on the warlord's right was the biggest and most intimidating of them all. His muscles were very defined as the bare skin of his arms were displayed outside of his metal breastplate. He also wore a battle helmet and had metal gauntlets which protected his hands. Clause on the other hand, was standing on the side, ready at his master's signal.

"Those must be the four other components for the Tornado of Creation," Pixal whispered.

"Most likely," Zane whispered back, as he scanned his surroundings. "I see Chen's soldiers, and two of the Serpentine Chiefs, but where are the rest of the Serpentine?" He searched for the other tribespeople but they were nowhere to be found.

"AMBUSH!" Jay's voice echoed from below. Zane and Pixal took at as a sign to leave and help the others. But before Zane could run to their aid, he suddenly tripped on his feet, as if someone caused him to trip, sending him tumbling off the face of the mountain. Pixal also felt a force knock her to the ground so hard she lost her breathe. As for Zane, his reflexes allowed him to unsheath his sword with his right hand and stab the side of the cliff right before he had fallen off. He immediately surveyed his surroundings and saw that their was no way he could get out. Suddenly, he felt his arm being grabbed with much brute force, he thought his arm would be crushed. Zane flinched in pain as he was lifted from his predicament. He looked to see who had pulled him up, and it was no other than the man that wore metal gauntlets.

"Hey, he was mine!" Said the man in red spectacles, as he ran toward the muscled man with inhuman speed.

"Karloff will give you White Knight, Turner," the gauntlet bearer replied. " Or whatever is left of him."

"Well that's no fair, considering I tripped him in the first place," the man called Turner retorted, crossing his arms.

"Karloff, Turner!" Clause called to them. "I suggest you return to your positions immediately, while the cavalry hasn't arrived yet." Turner simply nodded and sped his way back to the circle. Karloff looked at Zane one more time and asked Clause, "And him?"

Clause didn't even glance at Zane and simply waved his hand. The big man simply obliged and looked at Zane one last time.

"Sorry, White Knight," he said. "But Karloff had his orders." He threw Zane off the face of the mountain, down into a ravine below.

"Zane!" Pixal cried with all her might. She had just regained a little of her strength just in time to see the one she cared for the most to fall to his doom. Mustering all that she had left within herself, she flapped her wings as hard as she could and chased after him. Hands numbing, head aching, chest tightening, Pixal felt so ready to drop but the horror of seeing Zane die was too much for her to bear. She had seen him die once, she wasn't willing to see it happen again. She finally caught up with Zane and placed her palms on her armor.

"Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade," she prayed, as she cast a spell on Zane's armor, hoping to maximize its durability to protect Zane from too much damage.

"Pixal," was the only thing her ears heard before she felt Zane's massive hands cover her as Zane's body braced for impact. He first hit some tree branches, which scratched his face. His body finally met the ground as he hit the surface, rolling along the graveled floor before coming to a complete stop. His body was bruised, but no bones were broken, thanks to his armor. However, his head was scratched and grazed and his hands were filled with cuts. In his left hand opened up to reveal Pixal, who was virtually unscathed. However, the impact moved her around too much that she lost consciousness. The two lay on the ravine floor, the patches of leaves subtlety shading their bodies. Not too far away, a pair of voices were moving behind the trees.

"Quite a ruckus they're having a up there," the first voice spoke.

"Maybe a skirmish?" replied the second voice.

"Hmph, whatever it is, it is noisy."

The second voice simply laughed. "Oh, doctor. You're such a ball of energy."

The voices belonged to an old man with a cane, accompanied by a young lady. As they walked along the ravine, the old man stopped at the foot of the mountain, which led to a very narrow pass. He stopped a few steps after entering the pass and fished for his keys. Once he found it, he stuck it into a tiny hole, which opened a hidden door.

"Sakura," he called out to the girl. "What are you waiting for? I need those herbs!"

"Doctor!" He heard her scream. He moved as quickly as his frail knees would allow, leaning on his cane for support. When he finally caught up with the lady Sakura, his eyes averted to what she was looking at. As he beheld the body that lay unconscious before him, his eyes went wide. His hands shook violently and his knees began to buckle. He dropped on his knees to get a better look at the man in armor.

"It can't be," he said.

"Why, who is he?" asked Sakura. "Is he someone you know?"

"Someone whom I thought dead," the old doctor replied. He slowly got up with the help of his cane and Sakura supporting him. He turned to leave. "Sakura, bring him inside."

"And the herbs?" The girl replied. The old man turned around again, took Sakura's basket of herbs from her arms, and motioned for her to get going. Sakura stretched for a bit, letting some blood circulate in her limbs. She bent down to see if there were any broken bones. As she examined the warrior, she noticed that he had a pixie in his hand. She took a good look at Pixal and saw that she too was unconscious. She became cautious once her eyes saw the creature because she knew their capabilities.

'Maybe they fought and he grabbed her so that she fell with him?' She thought to herself. But when she looked at how Zane was holding her, she sensed that this knight was protecting this pixie, which was unusual for her. She didn't want the knight to be looking for his pixie when he woke up however, so she took a cloth from her apron pocket and scooped the little pixie with it. She wrapped the cloth around her like she would an infant and carefully placed her inside her apron pocket. She then proceeded to get Zane to the house. She first felt Zane's right arm and noticed that it looks injured. So she took his left arm instead and swung it over her shoulder. With all her might, she hoisted Zane up, letting his upper body lean on her. 'Carrying the old doctor sure paid off,' She thought as she took him to their home under the mountain.

* * *

High above in the mountain ledges, the Serpentine were keeping Cole and everyone else at bay. "Don't let them get to the top!" Pythor commanded as he and his fellow tribesmen pushed their enemies back with all their might.

"Cole!" Garmadon commanded as he struck down another Serpentine soldier with his sword. Cole looked to the older man, ready to obey his orders. "You have to get up there and stop Chen! We'll do what we can down here." Cole confirmed his master's instruction and trudged up the mountain. They were close now and the slope had gradually mellowed.

"Men! To me!" Cole shouted. Every available soldier rushed to his side, including Jay and Kai. Nya, who was repelling her attackers with a water whip, saw her brother and former friend climb up the path and followed.

"What are you doing?" Kai said as he saw his sister run towards his side.

"You need me," Nya replied. "Someone could get injured and I'm the only available medic right now. So get over it."

"Okay, just be careful, understand?" Kai told her. "I can't watch your back and my own at the same time."

Master Wu saw that the General was making his way to the top. His eyes scanned for his best student and found her head to head with one of Chen's soldiers.

"Skylor, follow them," the red-haired mage heard her mentor say from afar. "They might need you." Skylor immediately slashed her current opponent with the ice shield protecting her forearm. She then scrambled to join the group. Master Wu still didn't know her connection to Chen, and she thought it better that she faced her father before Wu or Garmadon did. The small band of soldiers almost reached the ridge, when suddenly boulders were sent tumbling their way.

"Take cover!" Jay cried as he dove behind the nearest rock. Cole did not evade, however. His scythe at the ready, he charged the incoming boulder. With one swift swing, he sliced at the center of the stone, and the boulder split right down the middle, and both halves moved clear off their path. The soldiers watched awestruck as they saw their general stand undeterred. Jay peeped out of his hiding spot and saw that he was the only one hiding.

"Chicken," he heard Nya tell him. He looked at her bashfully.

"How was I suppose to know he could do that?!" He argued with his flushed cheeks. He then got out of the rock he was hiding and continued on.

"Single file everyone," Cole told his men. Everyone obeyed and formed a line behind their strong leader. More rocks rolled down towards them, but Cole sliced them in half like they were loaves of bread. When the Serpentine saw that what they were doing was useless, they and grabbed their bows and arrows. They took aim at the General, but Jay easily disarmed them by firing his darts at them. They finally got to the ridge, where Chen was already performing the ritual. He was holding up the vial containing Lloyd's blood. His circle was covered in a golden aura, and a streak of light encircled him while Clouse continued to chant the spell. The four men around him also had their own golden light encircling them.

"Take 'em down!" Kai yelled. "We can't let them open that gateway!" Everyone rushed forward, determined to stop their enemies from succeeding.

"Stop them!" The Serpentine chiefs of the Fangpyre and Hypnobrai roared as they jumped in with their soldiers, as well as Chen's other guards. Both sides had their weapons barred, roaring at the top of their lungs. The sound of metal upon metal ran through the air. Nya's water whip repelled her attackers. Kai fought with the Hypnobrai chief, while Jay fought with the Fangpyre chief. Cole swung his scythe at whoever came at him. Skylor evaded any soldier that came towards her. Her eyes were fixed on her father, who was lifting the crystal vial toward the heavens. Shattering the vial would cause the blood to spill and they would never finish the ritual. Forming a huge icicle in her hand, she lunged it at the golden field; but to her surprise, the icicle only melted as soon as it touched the golden aura. The disturbance caused a shockwave from the same field, knocking her backwards, and bringing a huge wind gust to everyone else. Skylor tumbled downwards and collided with a nearby rock.

"Skylor!" She heard Kai call out her name. Her breathe was still knocked out of her due to the impact and she felt her head spin. She couldn't see very well but she saw a blurry figure run to her side. Kai lifted her upper body and checked her head for injuries.

"You okay?" He asked her. She gave a small nod as she tried to stand. Suddenly the Hypnobrai chief raised his staff and swung it hard on Kai. Kai was forced to let go of Skylor and grab the staff before it reached his head. He pushed the chief back with all his might and grabbed his sword while the chief staggered backwards. "Nya!" Kai called. "We need help over here!" Nya heeded her brother and rushed over. She slid to Skylor's side and put the redhead's arm over her shoulder. She then led the mage behind a huge boulder and proceeded to heal her injuries.

"I'll be fine, Nya," Skylor told Nya, as she grabbed her wrist. "They need you. So get back out there."

"But your injuries," Nya argued.

"Just a splitting headache. Besides, I can heal myself. Go!" Nya said no more and jumped back in on the action. Skylor stayed behind the rock she was hiding and closed her eyes while breathing slowly. Maybe that would dull the pain in her head.

Meanwhile, Nya ran towards the battlefield once more and saw that many soldiers of Chen and the Serpentine and already fallen, along with their own. Only her, Kai, Cole and Jay were left. The two chiefs were also defeated, but they were left alive and captive for possible negotiations. All that's left was the golden shield protecting warlord Chen, Clause, and the four men.

"We need to break that shield!" Cole commanded. He raised his scythe to strike the field. A kick was sent to his side and stopped him from what he was doing. He held his side as he flinched in pain and looked up to see Kai's angry face.

"What was that for?!" Cole yelled.

"Skylor already tried that, you idiot!" Kai yelled back. Hit that thing and you'll send us flying off the face of this mountain!"

"He's right," Jay added. "I saw that mage hit that thing with an icicle. The icicle just melted and that's where that huge gust of wind came from."

"Then what do you suggest, smart guy?" Cole retorted, still irritated that his best friend hit him. "I'm guessing we can't touch it either, cuz it might fry us.

"Maybe, what we need is another mage," Nya said, catching up to them. "Someone who specializes light magic."

"Light magic?" The three men said simultaneously.

"I've read about it in the library," Nya continued. "It's a rare type of magic that only those that the blood of the Creator has. It's also called magic of energy."

"Blood of the Creator?" Cole asked. "You mean like Lloyd and his family?"

"SOMEBODY SAY MY NAME?" A voice boomed from above. Everyone looked up and saw Lloyd swinging his way in. He landed in front of them and the cable that brought him in zipped back in it's compartment strapped to his arm.

"Hey, that's my grappling hook!" Jay yelled as he recognized his missing gadget. Lloyd just shrugged.

"Sorry, Jay, but I thought I need it to get up here." He turned to Cole, who was fuming. Cole marched his way to the blonde boy and towered over him.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" He demanded. "You're suppose to be resting!"

"I'm fine," Lloyd replied. "Don't worry about it." He moved around Cole to see the huge force field of gold. He then summoned a ball of energy in his hand, and proceeded to hit the golden barrier.

"Wait don't!" Kai called out, but it was too late. Lloyd's fist had already made contact with the barrier and created another shockwave. Kai immediately grabbed Nya and stabbed the ground with his sword. He faced his back towards the impact to shield his sister from it. Cole also anchored down with his scythe digging deep into the earth. Jay, who only had his daggers, pinned them down, hoping that that would be enough to save him. When the gust died down, they all looked up, hoping that Lloyd was okay. Sure enough, he was still standing, unaffected by the force of the shockwave. The area where he had punched left a huge crack on the shield.

"That's it!" Nya exclaimed. "Lloyd, keep punching that barrier. With enough damage, the shield will break!"

"You better hurry up though," Jay added. "Look!" He pointed to the sky. Everyone's eyes followed the direction of his finger and saw that a huge tornado was slowly forming around Chen and his men. They also saw Chen reach into his robe with his free hand and pulled out a shining jewel with a beauty like no other.

"The realm crystal!" Cole and Kai said simultaneously before the warlord was completely covered inside the Tornado of Creation.

* * *

 **Happy New Year everyone! Sorry I wasn't able to leave an Author's Note in the previous chapter due to bad internet connection that time. I hope you all had a great new year celebration. I would like to thank my little brother by the way for helping me write this chapter because it was pretty tricky for me to write. Thanks yo!**

 **Reviews! So what do you think of this chapter! Did you recognize all of Chen's four components? Who do you think the old man from the the ravine was? And what do you think will happen next? Stay tuned!**

 **A big THANK YOU to LegoTerraWarrior for letting me use your OC Sakura! :)**

 **Thank you once again for your reviews in Chapters 8 and 9. They really reminded me that you, my dear readers, still read this story. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Till the next chapter ~ SnowflakeShard**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'M BAAAAAAACK! Hello my lovelies! I'm sorry I've been gone for several months. Again, because of college I was not able to update this. So, to make up for lost time, I decided this chapter to be extra long (at least 2000 words more than my usual quota each chapter). Enjoy!**

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The smell of freshly picked herbs tickled Zane's nose. He groaned as he felt sore from the fall. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with a high cavern ceiling, dimly lit by candle flames. His vision was fairly blurry, but slowly cleared. Looking around, he sees an unfamiliar face. A girl with ebony hair was washing a cloth and then gently dabbed his face with it. Zane flinched at the touch, feeling the slight sting from his wounds.

"I'm sorry, but I needed to thoroughly wash your wounds before I can apply some salve into it," the lady spoke.

"Thank you," Zane whispered. The girl gave a small smile and gave him a glass of water. "How long was I out for?"

"Not long," the girl replied as she set down the glass. She then went to get a wooden bowl containing a creamy substance. Using her index and middle finger, she swabbed some of the salve onto Zane's scratches. The cool touch of the balm made Zane relax more, as he exhaled deeply, letting the lady do her work. Suddenly, he remembered something of utter importance. The former nindroid shot up.

"Pixal!" The wounds from his upper body called to him, causing him to moan and lose his balance. Luckily, the girl immediately grabbed him by his shoulders to steady him.

"Easy," she told him. "You took quite a fall," she then helped him lie down once more.

"Where's Pixal?" Zane asked.

"If you're talking about your pixie friend," gestured to the other end of the room. There was Pixal, sleeping comfortably in a basket, wrapped in layers of cloth.

"Thank you, again," the former nindroid replied. "Anyone who sees her would normally try to crush her underfoot."

"Seeing as how you held her when I found you must mean that she was important to you," the girl said. She then turned around. "Please wait a bit. I need to tell him you're up." She then disappeared behind a white curtain. This gave Zane the opportunity to scan his surroundings. He found very little though: a dresser, a bedside table with a lamp, and some candles resting on the rough and uneven surface of the room.

'Must be a cave,' Zane thought to himself. Immediately, the curtain flew back with the same girl from earlier. She moved out of the way and beckoned the one behind her to come in. Zane couldn't believe it.

'Father?'

"Zane," the old man started. "Is it really you?" He put his hand on Zane's cheek, rubbing his thumb against his skin. Zane could feel that the man's hand was shaking.

"Where have you been all this time?" the elder continued.

"I… do not understand," was Zane's only reply. He knew this man before him was father, Dr. Julien, only that he was of this world. Then that would mean this world also had a counterpart of him, right? But were was _he_?

"We're probably getting ahead of ourselves, so I'll be doing the introductions," the girl spoke up. "My name is Sakura, and this man is Dr. Julien."

"It is an honor to meet your acquaintance. My name is—"

"Well of course I know who you are, Zane!" Dr. Julien cheerfully remarked. "Sakura, would you be so kind to bring us some tea?" Dr. Julien requested. Sakura simply bowed and did what she was told. She set down a pot of chamomile tea on the table next to their guest and poured each one a cup. She then propped Zane to sit in a more comfortable position, much to Zane's appreciation. Grabbing a nearby chair, she placed it near the old man for him to sit on. Then she squatted on the floor right next to the bed.

"Now then, back to my question: where have you been, my son?" the doctor started once more, taking a sip from his tea.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Doctor," Zane cautiously replied, bringing the tea cup to his lips. Of course he perfectly understood the question. However, he couldn't just outright say that he was from another world, looking for a way home. No, he had to play his cards right, answer any question he was asked, without hurting this old man's feelings. Other than that, he really wanted to know why this world's version of him disappeared. "I am but a soldier who fell of a cliff during battle, and I need to get back up in the mountains as soon as possible. I am forever in your debt for your care and hospitality, but I believe I have overstayed my welcome."

The old man didn't say anything for a while. He looked at Zane with a piercing gaze, as if weighing whether or not he was telling the truth. Zane held his gaze with all his might. He wanted to show that he was earnest in leaving. Otherwise, his emotions might get the better of him. Finally, the old man sighed. He got up and left the room. Sakura, who was still sitting there, gave out a long breathe.

"Well, that was, tense," she said as she stood up.

"I hope I did not repel him. Or you," Zane told her. Sakura shook her head.

"No, you didn't. You just reminded him of his son, is all. Your resemblance is strikingly uncanny."

"May I know what happened to him?"

Before Sakura could reply, Dr. Julien came back with something in his hand. He placed it on Zane's lap, who slowly examined it. His eyes widened as he looked at the worn down object in front of him. It was a metal falcon, not dissimilar to the one he had back home. Except this one had cheap metal plates and bolts rather than stainless steel for its body.

"Do you remember yet, Zane?" Julien asked, a ray of hope in his voice. "I made this for you many years ago." Zane just stared at the gift. He ran his bandaged hand against the rusted metal.

"It's quite the craftsmanship, but I don't think I deserve this."

"What are you talking about, my boy?" Julien insisted as he took the falcon from Zane's hands and cranked the wounding key at the falcon's back. The toy slowly moved and began flapping its wings in a stiff manner, the rust obstructing its hinges. It tried to fly but failed, as it dropped on the floor flinching. Finally, its mechanisms shut down once more and the old man prompted to pick it up.

"Ah, it just needs some oil and some polishing," he said gaily. It was obvious he was trying so hard to make his "son" remember. Sakura's eyes brimmed with tears but she held it in. She didn't like seeing him this way, even if he looked happier than she's ever seen him. Zane couldn't take it anymore. He got up on his feet and wrapped his arms around the old man. He couldn't bear to see him so sad, yearning for his lost child. The doctor was taken aback by the action, but returned his embrace. He had missed his son's warmth.

"There you are… my son…" Julien softly whispered, brushing his fingers against Zane's platinum blonde hair. "You've come home…" He looked at Zane's face, who was fighting the tears back.

"Now that you're here, why don't we have a nice dinner to celebrate you're homecoming," Julien exclaimed and briskly walked toward the end of the room. "Sakura can cook us a nice meal and you can tell us all about how you fell from the sky and right into my doorstep."

"I... I'm afraid I can't stay."

"Zane choked as he said the words. He wanted to stay and spend more time with this man. After all, his own father passed not too long ago, and this could be his second chance to be with him again. But he knew that this old man's love wasn't for him, but for this world's version of him. And he couldn't steal it from them.

"What?" Julien piped. "Nonsense! You just got here!" He walked back to Zane and placed his hands on Zane's shoulders. "Please stay for a meal. Fate just dropped you in front of me. Literally! I simply can't lose you again!" Zane placed his hands on the old man's, slowly removing them from his shirt.

"I'm very sorry, but I came here because a strong man threw me off the cliff. I am under Lord Garmadon's army, and he needs me to fight off against The Serpentine and Warlord Chen. I can't stay here while everyone else is fighting to the death."

"But why does it have to be _you_?!" Julien persisted. "Let them solve their problems. Stay with your father. I want my last days spent with my only son, who just came back from the dead."

"But I am not _your_ son."

There. It came out. There was a silence for a good one minute.

Julien felt his heart drop as he gathered his courage to speak up. "What? What do you mean?" Zane cleared his throat. Taking a deep breathe, he continued. There was no turning back now.

"I am not. Your son." He felt the doctor's arms hang limp. With such force, he felt himself pushed away. Sakura rushed to the doctor's side. The old man held his chest while breathing heavily. She held onto one of his arms to support him.

"Come on," she coaxed. She slowly led him out of the room, leaving Zane in dismay. Did he do the right thing? Or did he just make things worse? He sat on his bed with his head in his hands. A small warm touch reached his wrist. He looked up to see a wide-awake Pixal eyeing him with concern.

"I take it you heard everything?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry Zane. But you did the right thing."

"I sincerely hope I did." Zane sadly stated. He finally spotted his armor on the farther end of the room. Apparently his armor had to be removed for proper treatment. He immediately stood up to put his armor back on. He decided to bid his hosts goodbye, despite how he's hurt one of them. With Pixal on his shoulder, he made his way outside his makeshift room and saw the kitchen in his left and living room on his right. Straight ahead of him was a flight of stairs, a small torch lighting the way up. He warily made his way up the small flight, terminating at a large wooden door. Hesitatingly, he knocked at the door twice. It slowly opened with Sakura on the other side.

"How is he?" Zane asked.

"He's not up for visitors, but I take it you need something?" Zane shortly nods.

"What is it?"

"Do you know how to get up to the mountain's peak in the shortest time possible?" Sakura thought for a moment.

"There's a lift that goes to the highest peak, and the travel time only takes about half an hour due to the speed."

"Sakura." The young lady jumped. "Please, let him in."

Sakura obliged and moved out of the way. Zane walked inside a spacious room. It was filled with drawings, gears, a workspace, and a bed in the corner. Dr. Julien was lying down, his back facing the two of them. He turns his body to face them, and Zane clearly saw that he had been crying.

"I'm afraid I must go," Zane started. "But I wish to pay my respects and show my gratitude for your help."

"Are you sure you can't stay?" Julien pleaded one last time. He knew there was no arguing with this one, but he had to try anyway. The knight just looked at him intently. Finally, the old man exhaled in defeat.

"I suppose it could not be helped." He turned his back once more. "Sakura, please escort him as far as the peak."

"But I can't leave you here," Sakura protested. The old man held his hand. "Do as you're told." Sakura bowed again and briskly left the room, without looking or saying anything to Zane. Zane turned to leave as well.

"Thank you," he said gravely.

"No, thank you," came the reply. The former nindroid left the room with a heavy heart.

After walking down the stairs, he found Sakura waiting for him at the door.

"Come on then," she said curtly. "I don't want to be away from him too long." The both exited the cave of a house and moved to a farther part of the ravine. Sakura moved her hand along the rocks and tugged a chain behind a huge crack. A stone door moved out of the way, revealing a shaft. Sakura climbed in.

"What are you waiting for?" Zane briskly entered the lift and Sakura closed the door. Lighting a small suspended lamp, the girl looked to her left and found a rusted lever. "Hang on." She pulled it, and the lift began to rise with immense speed. Zane felt his stomach go up, and Pixal flew inside his hand. Almost like his first dragon ride. Only this time, he doesn't control the reigns. As for Sakura, she casually leaned on the wall of the lift, as if she was used to the whole thing. And she found Zane and Pixal's expression quite amusing. The ride was indeed long and the air was as dead as it could get. Zane decided to speak up first.

"Thank you, for doing this, Miss Sakura. I know how inconvenient this is for you." Sakura only held up her hand.

"No need for thanks. The doctor asked me to escort you, and escort you I shall." She said nothing after that, and the tension built up once more, pushing Zane to say something else. Then he remembered he was suppose to ask her something.

"I asked earlier what happened to Dr. Julien's son. Could you please tell me?" The girl bit her lip. Should she tell him? But perhaps it _was_ him. Maybe telling him would jog his memory. But then again, the rusted falcon didn't do any good. Would this fare any better? She wrestled in her head a bit, and came to a resolve.

"I'm not sure if it's my place to say, but I think it would better if I did." Perhaps telling him would make her feel easier, even if this man wasn't the doctor's long lost boy. "He wasn't always a doctor you know. He used to be a tinkerer. Many years ago, the good doctor had a son. Quite a cheerful lad I'm told. But he was quite sickly. Julien never really let him out of the house. He was always cooped up inside. To give him company, his father made him many toys that moved on their own, and he loved them. His favorite one is the toy falcon that could fly around the house. Sometimes, the boy would flap his arms, as if to imitate the bird's flying. Although as time passes by, the little boy's sickness grew worse. His father brought him to the nearest physician, but all no one knew what was ailing him. He went to other doctors but none could help him. That's when he decided to find a cure for his son. He studied all the books available to him, anything about any medicine. His son must have noticed it, as his father always busied himself in his study, only coming to visit him during mealtimes. Then one day, when Julien came to visit his boy, the bedroom was empty. He searched the entire house and found no sign of him. He came back to the boy's bedroom and sat on his bed. He found the metal falcon under the blankets and saw a note attached to it."

"What did it say?" Zane asked curiously. The girl's fist curled and one hand wiped her teary eyes.

"The letter stated that little Zane left to find the cure himself. He couldn't bear to watch his father so sad. So he decided to travel the world and seek medication himself, but he never wrote to him after that. No one knew what happened to him. Julien tried to search for him, but no matter how hard he tried, his son was lost to him. After that, he decided never to lose another child to any disease again. He studied even harder to become a doctor for children."

"What happened to him?" Asked Pixal. "Why did he stay under the mountain?" Sakura eyed Pixal, which Zane took notice of.

"Don't worry, she's of no harm to anyone. Please continue." Sakura took a deep breathe before opening her mouth.

"He became a doctor for twenty years, until one day, he…"

"Yes?"

"He-"

"He?"

"Lost a patient." The young girl hung her head. "He lost another child. There was nothing he could have done to treat him. Devastated, he ran into the mountains. He refused to treat another child after that loss. One day he stopped by a spring to drink. And that's where he found me. I was an exhausted, starving little girl. For some reason, despite his resolve, he nurtured me, took care of me; and when I was strong enough, I said I would never leave his side."

"I am sorry for everything you've gone through," Zane softly spoke. "I truly am."

"Tell me one thing, though," Sakura looked at him in the eye. "You really are not Dr. Julien's son, Zane? You even have the same name."

"No, I am not," Zane replied. He didn't want to make things any more complicated, and he was battling his feelings the best he could.

"I see," the girl replied, a tinge of disappointment in her face. They were close to the top now. Zane placed his hand on his sword. Whatever was waiting for him up there, he was more than ready to face it.

Back in the doctor's room, Julien coughed as he curled underneath his think blankets. How could he have been so foolish? Letting in a stranger inside his home, thinking that that was his son? He felt under his pillow and pulled out a worn out picture. In it was him of his younger years and a little boy on his lap carrying a metal falcon. His little Zane. He took in his son's features: fair but pale skin, platinum blonde hair, icy blue eyes, and a smile that can brighten even the darkest of days. He felt tears roll down his cheeks again. Oh how he missed him! A day didn't go by without him wishing he could spend one more day with the lad. And here comes a man, who bore his features like his son's ghost, only to leave him behind. He didn't know why he thanked him earlier. Perhaps out of courtesy? Or perhaps he got to see and feel his son, even just for a moment. He really didn't know. He clutched the picture close to his heart as he sobbed on his bed, until he had no more tears to let out, leaving him to a sorrowful sleep.

* * *

 _Meanwhile…_

"The realm crystal!" Cole and Kai said simultaneously before the warlord was completely covered inside the Tornado of Creation.

"Brace yourselves!" Lloyd warned as he stepped back and charged both his hands with golden energy. Then with that energy, he formed a huge ball and launched it at the barrier. Everyone braced for impact as Lloyd's power met the golden shield.

BAM!

The ball of energy shattered the protective barrier. Streaks of light flew in different directions as the aura around each person slowly began to fade and the tornado surrounding Chen grew weaker. The four men, who were concentrating their energy on creating the Tornado of Creation, stopped to look at the people who had breached their protective shield. Clause stopped chanting.

"Protect the master!" He commanded the four men.

"With pleasure," Griffin said. He ran at top speed. He punched Jay in the face, causing him to fall on the ground. Jay immediately got up on his feet. He looked around and saw the speedster stop.

"Think you got what it takes?" He taunted.

"Let's find out," Jay replied. He readied his daggers and charged at Griffin.

"I'll take the big one," Cole said fixing his eyes on Karloff, who was banging his gauntlets together.

"Okay, then I'll take that 'shadowy' guy," Kai said to himself and pointed his eyes toward the man with grey skin.

"That leaves me with," Nya looked to the man with white hair. But the man threw something on the ground. A puff of smoke engulfed him and he disappeared.

"Wait, what?" The girl said in disbelief. She then heard a voice in her head. A voice she was unfamiliar with.

"My work is done. There's no need for me to fight. Besides, I believe the odds are against me."

"Okaaaay" Nya said. She looked and only Clouse and Chen remained.

"The ugly one with the magic book is yours," Lloyd whispered to her. "Chen's mine!"

"Lloyd, wait!" Nya called to the blonde lad as he charged at the tornado. The tornado still surrounded Chen, but its force was growing weaker. He fired another ball of energy at the tornado. It created an opening, but it closed to quickly for Lloyd to get in.

"Come out and fight me you coward!" Lloyd shouted. Clouse realized what the young lord was doing and finished chanting his spell. He had to protect his master at all costs. He whispered another spell that caused Lloyd's head to ache, the same spell he used on Kai. Lloyd griped in pain as he felt his head being bludgeoned. He dropped on his knees with his hands on his head, feeling it getting worse by the second. Clouse continued his work until he felt a cold smack on his face which almost knocked him off his feet. He began coughing out the amount of water that had entered his mouth and nose. He searched for the source of water and saw Nya looking straight at him.

"Your battle is with me," she said to him. Her voice trembled a bit. She was intimidated by this man, because she knew that he was more experienced at magic than her, but she knew she had to buy Lloyd more time.

"You know you can't defeat me, child," Clouse told her. He cast another spell, causing a black aura to appear and fly towards Nya. Nya tried to shield herself with a wall of water but the miasma caused it to evaporate. The young woman dropped her wall and tried to evade. The haze missed her by an inch. Clouse then used the same spell against Lloyd on Nya. But before he could speak again, Nya launched another streak of water came splashing at his face, followed by his neck being wrapped with another body of water. She sent him flying and hitting his face on the ground. He rose from the ground holding his nose, and his bruised ego.

"Enough!" He pulled out his knife and surrounded his other hand with that black poisonous miasma. Hands sweaty and heart racing, Nya readied her hands as Clouse charged towards her.

As the squeezing of Lloyd's brain stopped, he gained his strength once more. He moved closer towards the tornado and summoned a huge ball of golden energy in his hands. He focused all his energy into his hands and the sphere kept growing. With a shout, he launched it with everything he's got. The impact made the a huge explosion which finally caused the whirlwind to open, revealing the warlord inside.

"You're too late, boy!" Chen shouted triumphantly, holding the realm crystal in his hand. A large ethereal black hole appeared above him and proceeded to suck everything in close range.

"What's happening?!" Kai yelled, stabbing his golden sword to the ground. Everyone either grabbed onto the rocks or anchored themselves down. Clouse and his minions too held onto something to prevent themselves from getting vacuumed. Lloyd reacted immediately. Mustering all his strength, he launched himself at Chen, sword raised. Chen saw the incoming move and immediately unsheathed his own sword to block the boy's attack.

"You won't win!" Chen roared as he jumped off the ground, letting the ethereal abyss take him in. Lloyd followed suit and as soon as he jumped in, the magic portal disappeared, leaving all others behind.

"LLOYD!" Cole shouted. Why doesn't that boy listen?! Always so reckless.

"Wait!" Griffin called, not reducing his speed. "What about us?!"

"We stick to plan and finish off tiny people!" Karloff replied as he gave Cole an upper cut, which the general dodged by a hair. "Magic man better not forget Karloff's money." He threw a punch right into Cole's stomach. Cole once again deflected it with his scythe.

Not far off, Kai swung his sword at his enemy. The mysterious man cartwheeled out of the way. Kai followed his every move. "Where'd they go?!" He demanded as he pointed at the Shadow Man with his sword. Suddenly, the man dissolved into darkness and lurched away. Kai got readied himself, knowing he would just pop out at any time. Then, without warning, he felt himself constricted as something started to coil around his body until it reached around his neck. The mercenary solidified, and Kai felt sudden weight on him. He immediately dropped his sword to grasp the arms choking him. He could feel the air leaving his system by the second. Both struggled for dominance as Kai felt his vision go hazy. No way was he going to die via choking. He instinctively took hold Shadow Man's head and flung him off his back. Grabbing his sword, he steadied himself against his adversary.

The dark man hissed as he grabbed his dagger from his belt. Dissolving into shadow once more, he wormed his way into the grass. As he inched closer to Kai, a fire ball hurled in his direction, burning him. Shadow shrieked as he reverted to his human form. Fire once more rained around him, boxing him in. Before he could jump out of the flames, a huge punch was sent flying to his face, knocking him out cold. He fell to the ground with Kai looming over him. The flames slowly died down with Skylor walking toward Kai, giving him a smile. Kai too, gave her a sheepish grin.

As for Cole and Karloff, they were still going at it, with neither one breaking a sweat! No matter how many times they clash, neither can land a blow on each other.

"This is getting nowhere!" Cole complained.

"Man with big sharp blade is correct," Karloff replied. "Karloff getting bored."

"Then what do you say we put down our babies and settle this old school?" Cole proudly swung his scythe around before putting it on the ground. He then put his fists up. "Skill against skill alone."

"Fair play," the giant replied. "Fair means fist." He slowly broke into a sly grin. "Karloff like fist." He removed his metal gauntlets and set down. He cracked his knuckles excitedly and rushed to hit the young general. Cole dodged out of the way and hit Karloff's back with his elbow. Karloff stumbled from the sudden blow but regained his bearings. He faced his opponent once more, still eager to land another blow on his adversary. The giant ran toward his opponent and successfully tackled him into the mountain wall with great force. Cole yelled aloud, as he felt a piece of flint impale his lower back combined with the impact of the hit.

"What's wrong little man?" Karloff said with a smug tone. "Tiny rock too much for tiny man?" He slowly placed one hand behind his back. The flint was still lodged inside. His eyes still fixed on Karloff, who circled around him like some vulture. Cole kept his distance, making sure he was as far as possible as he could keep himself. His hands were held up in defense. He felt sweat run down his brow. He has faced many enemies, but this one matched his strength evenly. After what seemed like endless minutes of staring each other down, an idea came to Cole's head. Karloff, thinking his enemy had given up, was filled with confidence.

"NOW KARLOFF BREAK TINY MAN!" Karloff charged at Cole at full speed, his hands ready to pound him to oblivion. Cole smirked as Karloff got closer. At the right moment, Cole ran towards the giant and grabbed him by his leg and shoulder. Using his momentum, he flung Karloff over the cliff edge behind them. Karloff saw his mistake and grabbed onto a nearby rock. But he didn't see Cole immediately jump and deliver a punch to his face, causing him to let go of his only hold to the mountain. He fell down into the ravine below.

"Who's the tiny man now?" Cole triumphantly remarked as his opponent tumbled down the cliff face.

Meanwhile, at the far end of the ridge, Jay was shielding himself from the multiple punches Griffin was throwing at him. His back and arms were throbbing from Griffin's blows. Jay tried to land a hit on the speedster, but he wasn't fast enough.

"Too slow!" mocked his adversary. He then gave Jay the upper cut, causing the nobleman to fall on his back. Jay held his chin, moaning in sharp pain. He saw Griffin running for him again. He backed up against a nearby rock as the other closed the distance between them. He reached for his belt and pulled out a small ball. Griffin was getting closer and… now! He threw the ball into the ground. The casing broke and smoke erupted, covering Jay from Griffin's vision. Griffin immediately stopped within the mist.

"A smoke bomb? Really?" He says to Jay, clearly unimpressed. Suddenly, the he felt his vision blurring and his lungs gasping for air. "What is this?!" Apparently, it wasn't just a smoke bomb, but sleeping gas as well. As he tried to maintain consciousness, Jay jumped from behind him and wrapped his arms around Turner's neck. Jay then smothered Turner's face with a handkerchief, trying to cut off his air supply. It was no use for the master of speed. He had lost too much air that his muscles would no longer listen to him. He dropped to his knees and collapsed on the ground.

"Sleep tight," Jay whispered, as he removed the bandana from his face. He turned and saw Lloyd throwing balls of energy at the huge Tornado. He saw Kai try to hit the shadow man, only to have him shrink into darkness and appear elsewhere, vexing the blacksmith. He saw Cole block Karloff's gauntlets with his scythe, both strengths equaling each other. He then saw Nya going toe to toe with Clouse.

Nya was now getting exhausted. She didn't know how long she could still avoid his attacks. She exhaled as she blocked her attacker's incoming blow. Clouse grunted as he staggered back. He held his knife in a backhand position and swung it towards Nya. Nya did her best to evade but slowly grew tired. Clouse saw his opening and swung toward the mage's neck. Nya moved out of the way once more. Clouse then lunged his dagger at the girl's lower abdomen. Nya dodged to the right. She failed to see Clouse's miasma-covered hand jabbed its way to her left side, just below her forearm. Nya let out a cry as she looked at Clouse's grinning face. She had been tricked. She grabbed her side, the gash burning her skin. She looked at it for a moment and saw a mixture of black and red turning into an awful color. She whipped her head back at her opponent and saw Clouse kick her square in the chest. The girl's back met with the ground and she felt herself rolling down the ridge. Her body met with a rock which stopped her from falling over the edge. Nya did her best to stand, but she couldn't breathe and her head was throbbing too much. She saw Clouse slowly turn into a blur as he made his way over and knelt over her. The dark mage ran the flat edge of his blade across her cheek. His eyes burned with victory and bloodlust.

"Game over," Clouse maniacally stated while raising his knife directly above the girl's heart. Nya closed her eyes and braced for what was next.

"Not yet!" A familiar voice rang. She opened one eye just in time to see Jay collide himself with Clouse, knocking the dark man off her.

"The game just went overtime!" Jay finished as he punched Clouse while he was off guard. Clouse felt a fist meet his nose and he twisted from the impact. Jay immediately grabbed him by the robes and threw him off the cliff. But Clouse still had enough consciousness to grab Jay's sleeve, causing both off them to fall off the edge.

"JAY!" Nya screamed as she saw her childhood friend fall to his doom. Tears started to form around her eyes as she mustered all her strength to crawl over and see if he was really gone. She looked over the side and saw Jay's hand firmly grabbing into the rocks, but his strength was failing him by the second. Clouse had managed to grab onto Jay's leg, trying to hoist himself up. Nya immediately grabbed on to her friend's hand, doing what she could to pull him up.

"You can't pull us both up!" Jay told her.

"Will you just shut it?" she replied. Jay looked down to see that Clouse still had his knife in hand. Jay swung his free leg at Clouse giving him a blow to the face. Nya then grabbed a nearby rock and gave it to Jay's free hand, who hit Clouse once more with all his strength. Clouse gave a shout of pain and blacked out. He slowly let go of Jay falling into the ravine below.

Grabbing tightly on Jay's jacket, she yanked him out of the cliff and into solid ground. Neither said anything, for both were still catching their breathes and letting the adrenaline die down. Finally Jay broke the silence.

"Nya," He started, a cocky tone in his voice. He wanted to say something that he knew would irritate her, but he couldn't think of anything. "Thank you."

Nya froze for a moment. She expected a 'thank you' from him, but this one sounded so sincere, so genuine.

"Yeah, sure. No big deal," she replied and stood up. Stubborn as ever, but she felt it difficult to maintain a straight face.

"I mean it, Nya." Jay continued. "Thanks for saving me. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there."

"Well I-" Nya choked on her words. She wanted to swallow her pride so hard just to appreciate this person in front of him. She then felt her cheeks wet with tears as years of repressed feelings began to gush out. Without warning Nya wrapped her arms around Jay's neck, making the nobleman stiffen with surprise. Was she really hugging him?

"Nya?"

"I'm sorry..." he heard her say. " I'm so sorry for everything."

It was Jay's turn to cry as he returned her embrace. "I'm sorry too…"

Jay and Nya held their embrace longer than both had anticipated. Nya missed her goofy friend, the one who always stuck by her. Jay missed her smile, something she used to do all the time when they were kids.

"Ehem!"

Both pulled away to see Kai, who looked more relieved than annoyed. "You guys okay?" Both nodded. By now, Garmadon and Wu had caught up with them. Cole informed Garmadon of his son showing up instead of resting at home.

"Why doesn't he listen?!" Garmadon sighed, clearly perplexed at his son's actions. "Where are they?"

"Chen has already activated the Realm Crystal and Lloyd went after him. The portal closed before we could follow."

Garmadon said nothing as he planned their next move. He looked at his injured men. Then he turned to his brother.

"Wu. You and your mages take care of the injured."

"Yes, brother." Garmadon stood on top of a rock so that everyone could see him.

"Secure the mountain! Chen could return. For all I know he could be waiting at the top. Cole, with me."

Without saying another word, Garmadon and Cole trudged upward. Bringing five foot soldiers the governor and general made their way higher up. Kai stayed behind to look after his sister, Jay, and Skylor.

'Please be alright, son.' Garmadon thought to himself. 'Find a way to come back to us.'

* * *

 **Finally Chapter 11 is up! Yes! Correct it is indeed Julien. And yes it was thea elemental masters.**

 **Thank you once again for your reviews and patience as I write this. I hope to get the next chapter out by next week! I hope you guys enjoyed this one and i'll "see" you in Chapter 12 ~ SnowflakeShard**


	12. Chapter 12

Warlord and young lord tumbled inside of the vortex, Chen's hand still clinging to the only thing that could get them both home. There wasn't much gravity and one's movement seemed to be as if they were floating, with the only direction to be wherever the crystal was tasked to go. Lloyd was a few feet away from him, diving straight for him. Lloyd straightened his body to avoid resistance, allowing him to catch up. When he was close enough, the lad grabbed hold of his enemy's robes. Chen felt his weight become heavier and saw the boy on his heels, literally. The warlord swung his left leg, hoping to get rid of the brat that had clung to him. Lloyd moved out of the way just in time. His right hand glowing with energy, he grabbed onto Chen's left leg. Chen yelped in pain as his skin burned upon contact. Lloyd hoisted himself higher until he and Chen were of eye level. Chen moved the crystal as far as he could. He swung a backhand at the boy, making Lloyd lose his balance. Lloyd grabbed hold of the protective vest guarding the warlord. He pulled the man close to him and returned a punch. Chen's cheek was tinted with a purple hue, but he kept his grip on the crystal strong. Lloyd was putting one hand on Chen's face, the other reaching for the Realm Crystal. Chen's free hand reached for Lloyd's throat and squeezed hard. Lloyd began coughing as he slowly lost his breathe. He felt himself being pulled forward and Chen collided his head with Lloyd's own. The boy grunted in pain and let go of his enemy. This time, it was Chen who wouldn't let him go. He straddled the young boy and proceeded to choke him once more, this time with both hands. His fingers still wrapped around his prized possession, he pressed his knuckles against the boy's throat, giving his free hand full support. Lloyd instinctively placed his hands on top of the madman, who by now was laughing maniacally.

"Did you know this was a one-way trip?" He casually asked the young lad.

Lloyd struggled to speak. "W-What?"

"When we get to who knows where, we're stuck there!" Chen continued. "We'll have to perform the ritual again but without Clouse that's impossible. And. It's. All. Your. FAULT!" His hold became tighter and Lloyd felt himself wheezing. But he wouldn't give this lunatic the satisfaction.

" _You're_ the idiot…" He whispered. Chen didn't understand and was forced to put his ear closer to his enemy's mouth.

"Eh, eh, a little louder brat… I couldn't here you there."

"You jumped in yourself, leaving your forces behind. Cole has taken them all down. You're a stupid excuse for a leader."

SMACK!

Lloyd received a backhand slap from Chen.

"You insolent little ingrate!" Chen resumed his hold on the boy's neck.

"If I don't get the world, your life will suffice!"

Lloyd felt his systems shutting down. His eyesight blurred, his limbs numb. But he knew it couldn't end here. He wouldn't let it. His hand fell to his side and he realized his sword was still in its scabbard. With one swift motion, he grabbed his sword and pulled it out, slashing the warlord's chest. Chen cried in agony. Had he not worn his protective vest, he would have died. But the blade penetrated enough to know that it hurt. Badly. Chen was forced to let go of his opponent allowing his hands to feel his chest. Lloyd saw his window. He quickly returned his sword in its sheath and grabbed Chen's collar with both hands. With his right hand, he sent a blow towards Chen's left cheek. He started punching the warlord repetitively, until blood was on his knuckles.

Suddenly, the vortex's color began to change. From an ethereal blue and purple color, it became dark green with clouds of black swirling around them. The vortex began to thin out and both saw a vast landscape of sand with towers of steel and glass below them. The ground was paved with black-colored roads. As they neared the ground, Lloyd could hear the frightened murmurs of the oddly-dressed people below them.

Chen, even in his humiliated state, managed to crack a smile at the young lord. "Go ahead. Kill me. You know you want to."

Lloyd's eyes narrowed and his teeth were barred. With all his strength, he sent one more blow to the warlord's face, and Chen's mind finally went black.

'Shut up.'

Lloyd yanked the Realm Crystal from Chen's hand. The moment he held it, the color of the crystal changed from white to emerald green. Just as their bodies were about to touch the ground, Lloyd felt his body being pulled up with whiplash speed. He wasn't sure how the realm crystal worked, but with all his gut, he prayed for it to send them both back. Lloyd held the crystal in his right hand and an unconscious Chen in the other, earnestly hoping that the Realm Crystal took heed of his plea. They began to increase speed until the vortex around them slowly dissipated. He felt gravity pull him down saw that he was headed straight for the peak of the Wailing Alps!

TING!

The bell of the lift rang, signaling the riders that they had reached their destination.

Just follow the light at the end of the tunnel and you'll be on the peak," Sakura told Zane as he stepped out of the elevator.

"Thank you, Miss Sakura," Zane told the girl. Sakura simply nodded. "Be careful, and good luck." Zane rushed out and drew his sword. He looked back at Sakura who was closing the elevator doors.

"I thank you once again for your kindness. Please tell Dr. Julien as well." Sakura nodded once more. Pulling the rusted lever, she swiftly descended out of sight.

Zane faced front once again. Trudging lightly with Pixal flittering behind him, he walked toward the light. As he reached the tunnel's entrance, he took a peak, and saw no one. His guard still up, he walked slowly whilst looking around for friend or foe. The clouds suddenly looked closer then they ought to be. They also seem to be coming straight for him.

"Watch out!"'Pixal yelled, prompting Zane to move out of the way. Two figures landed roughly on the ground, each on rolling along before coming to a complete stop. Recognizing the figure with the blonde hair first, Zane rushed to Lloyd's side.

"Are you alright?" He asked the young lord. Lloyd nodded as he groaned from the pain of the impact. The fall wasn't that bad, but he'd be lying if he denied the throbbing in his body. His hand still holding the Realm Crystal, he immediately placed it in his pocket. Seeing an unconscious Chen a ways away, he briskly got up and put the warlord's hands behind his back. He searched for something to tie him up but searched in vain. Chen began to stir. He needed to think fast.

"Got any rope?" He asked Zane, desperately hoping he did.

"No…" Zane replied sadly. Pixal made that her cue. She zipped towards Chen's hands and created iron shackles around his wrists, binding them behind his back. She then gave the chain's end to Lloyd. Zane nodded in approval. Lloyd quirked a brow but said nothing.

"LLOYD!" Two distinct voices boomed. Lloyd looked behind him and saw his father and mentor running toward him. Handing the chain to Zane, he ran up to meet them. Cole slowed down to allow father and son some space. Garmadon continued running and enveloped his son in an embrace.

"What were you thinking?" Garmadon asked his son as he looked at his son's bruised face. "I told you to stay at home."

"I know, Dad," Lloyd replied. "But you know me." Garmadon sighed heavily and placed hand on his son's shoulder.

"I should've known you'd come along somehow."

"What do you want me to do to him Lord Garmadon?" Cole said, ruffling Lloyd's hair. "Make him clean the stables? Scrub the plaza clean? Or maybe clean the manor's toilets?" Lloyd grimaced at the thought. He immediately looked to Zane, who still held the warlord captive. He broke into a mischievous grin.

"I don't think that's necessary Cole," Lloyd stated.

"Oh, yeah?" Cole challenged. "Don't think you're getting away from this, kid." Lloyd snickered as he gestured toward Zane. Garmadon and Cole were so preoccupied they failed to notice who had been apprehended.

"Is that?" Cole asked pointing at Chen.

"Yup," Lloyd replied proudly.

"And you…" his father continued.

"Yup."

"And the Realm Crystal?" Lloyd pulled the gem from his pocket and gave it to his father.

Cole let out a whistle. "I gotta say I'm impressed, Lloyd. But you're not off the hook."

"Seriously?"

Cole felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked to see Garmadon with an amused expression.

"Perhaps this once, General."

Cole pursed his lips and finally relaxed himself. He gave a small bow. "Alright, milord. What you say goes." He turned to his men who had rallied around Chen, who was beginning to wake.

"Take this man away." His soldiers immediately grabbed Chen and pushed him to get moving. Cole then realized that he didn't see Zane during their fight with Clouse, and began to wonder where he was this whole time.

"Hey, Zane!" The general called. Zane whipped his attention to his superior.

"Yes, General?"

"What happened? After you scouted the mountain, you disappeared. Anything you care to report?"

"As I was about to come back and report, one of the enemies threw me over the cliff. It was only a few moments ago that I regained consciousness." There's no point in lying. But being rescued by a girl and an old man and coming out of a hidden elevator sounded too farfetched.

The man however wasn't convinced. "If you were thrown over the cliff, how did you manage to get up here before the rest of us?"

"I was able to grab hold of the jagged edges, and began climbing towards the other side and I eventually made my way up here because of the route I took." Zane steeled his best stoic face, as if he was still his old nindroid self. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want Sakura nor Julien to be involved because of him. After a staring contest with the general, Cole finally budged.

"Alright. As you were, soldier." He walked away. Zane gave a short sigh and looked at the Pixie beside him. She shrugged her shoulders as everyone made their way down the mountain.

Warlord Chen finally got to his senses as the soldiers pushed him along. The slash across his chest stung like lightning and he looked up to find the one who gave it to him. In the distance, he saw Lloyd and his father talking triumphantly. He felt his blood boil with rage, and the pain he felt in his chest became increasingly small to what he was going to do next.

In a fit of fury, he rammed himself against the soldier in front of him. He swung his arms under his legs so that his arms were in front again. The other soldiers tried to restrain him. He instantly grabbed a sword from the soldier in front of him and stabbed his back. The others rushed to him, but he was too fast. One tried to tackle him to the ground, but he moved out of the way whilst slashing that soldier's back. He charged each of them and immediately empowered and ended them with his skills. Zane turned in horror to see the warlord getting away. He rushed at him in attempt to stop him. He swung his sword at his chest but Chen slid to the ground skimming under the knight easily. Eyes still fixed on father and son, he ran towards the pair with the speed of a bull. Those two have ruined his plans for the last time! First, Garmadon, stopped him from practicing the dark arts, and now, his son humiliated him in battle. He was getting compensation, one way or the other.

In the corner of his eye, Garmadon could see his old master, sword in the air, aiming for Lloyd's back. He only had a split second to react. He pushed Lloyd out of the way, allowing Chen to stab him right through his chest.

"DAAAAAAAD!" Lloyd's cry rang through the mountains.

Garmadon crashed on the ground with Chen on top of him. As he tried to pull the blade out in vain, he started coughing blood and he saw Chen smiling down at him like a demon with blood shot eyes. Chen let out a shrieking laugh.

"I'm the only one who gets what he wants today!" He breathed heavily as he felt the adrenaline and rage slowly leave him. He was satisfied and he felt like collapsing. He then felt hands grab his arms. Zane swiftly threw him off Garmadon's body and into the ground. Pixal gave him even thicker chains and wrapped them around his body and feet to ensure he couldn't move.

Lloyd immediately ran to his father's side. He could see the life fading from his father's eyes." Dad, please…" Lloyd wept as he squeezed his father's hand. Not able to speak, Garmadon simply pointed at his son's left chest. And with his final breath, he closed his eyes for all time. Lloyd felt his father's grip loosen until his hand slip from under his own. His eyes became overcome with tears as he looked over his father's face. He closed his eyes, lifted up his head, and let out a loud cry.

"NOOOOOOO!"

The whole mountain heard his voice. Zane and Pixal heard it. The soldiers and mages below heard it. Wu and Skylor heard it. Kai, Nya, and Jay heard it. Cole heard it and knew something was definitely wrong. They all moved up and saw the shock of their lives. A longsword right through their beloved lord's heart. And his son's head was resting on him, his hands clutching on his father's bloody garments. Wu moved closer, grief overcoming his heart. He knelt down and his forehead met with his brother's. Nya put her hands on her mouth while Jay hung his head. Kai put his arm on his sister's shoulder and Nya began to cry against him. Skylor on the other hand narrowed her eyes on her father, eyes blazing with fury. She briskly walked in his direction, where Zane has holding him by his grabbed her father by the neck. Chen's sick smile was still present on his face.

"Hello, sweetie," He greeted. Skylor's brows lowered, almost as if they're trying to meet. Her muscles became even more tense than before. She brought her face closer to her father's.

"If I could break you in two, I would."

"Come on, sweetie. No one has earned the right to kill me but you. So, what are you waiting for?" Skylor had had it. She raised her free hand and it was blazing with flames.

"Skylor!" Kai's voice echoed. She immediately snapped back to reality. She closed her eyes battling the storm within her heart. She wanted to kill this man so badly, but she knew what she had to do. Heaving a sigh and swallowing hard, she put down her wrist. She threw Chen to the ground and walked away. Her father scoffed.

"Wimp!" Chen spat. "That's why you're a failure for a mage! You never had the gall to do what was needed!"

SLAP!

Chen suddenly felt his mouth unable to move. A metal bar had been attached his mouth. He tried to make a sound but he could not be heard. Pixal flew on Zane's shoulder and gave him a weak smile, which Zane returned. Skylor kept walking until she was with Kai and the group. Kai used his free hand to hold Skylor's own. The mage felt herself comforted from his touch.

Meanwhile, Lloyd was still mourning over his father when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up with his tear-stained face to see Cole looming over him, his face also grave and distraught. A short pause was felt by everyone as Lloyd realized what Cole was asking of him. Lloyd thought for a moment and scooted out of the way. Cole knelt beside his fallen lord and took hold of the sword that still impaled him. Gently, he pulled the blade out and tossed it aside. He then put his arms under Garmadon's back and legs and hoisted him up. Leading the way down, he slowly trudged down the slopes, with Lloyd right beside him. Wu followed behind, with Nya and Jay. Kai, Skylor and Zane kept hold of Chen who was still bound in iron fetters.

The army was taken aback as they saw their beloved governor's cold body in their general's arms. Slowly, everyone got down on their knees and bowed their heads in respect. Lloyd too moved to face his father and knelt like the others. Soon the others did the same, save the trio guarding the murderer.

When everyone reached the bottom of the mountain, Wu requested some wood to be gathered, and he began constructing a cart for his brother to lie on as they ride back home. Nya, and other female mages gathered some wild flowers and placed them around their lord's body. Harnessing the cart on Cole and Lloyd's horse, they began their slow ride back to Jamanakai. Wu had sent a letter to Misako, telling her they were coming home, but that the village not prepare a celebration, but prepare for a time of mourning. However, he did not mention who they'd be mourning for. This worried Misako greatly but she complied.

The cavalry slowed their pace to a walk to keep Garmadon's body from falling off the cart. The army had divided into units. The first contained soldiers and horsemen encircling the prisoners, which consisted of the Serpentine chiefs, their soldiers, and what remained of Chen's army. The second consisted of Lloyd and Cole drawing their ruler behind them, with some soldiers protecting them from all sides.

The trip back took two days and it was almost sunset when they returned. As they drew closer to the village's entrance, Misako went out to greet them. Her heart feared for the worst, praying in earnest that her loved ones were safe. She saw Wu leading the front, horsemen dragging the remainder of Chen's forces and the Serpentine tribes in chains. Wu gave Misako a nod before personally leading the prisoners to the dungeons. As the first group of the cavalry dispersed, the crowd let out a horrified gasp as they saw Lloyd and Cole pull a cart with their benevolent leader on it. Townsfolk began crying as the crowd part even more to let them pass. Lloyd and Cole stopped in front of Misako. Lloyd looked at his mother, his eyes consumed by grief. Misako's hand covered her mouth as she rushed to the cart to see her lifeless husband in a state of eternal rest. Her hands caressed his cheeks as she slowly rested her forehead against his whilst feeling her heart being shattered to a million pieces.

The next day was as gloomy as it could get as Garmadon's funeral commenced. The entire village was invited to the manor to see their governor one last time before his burial. He was placed inside an ivory coffin and upon Wu's request be buried in the gardens of his academy. With Garmadon's coffin secured by Cole and his men, everyone proceeded up the mountain, with Lloyd and Misako directly behind them, and Wu leading the walk in front. In the huge plain of the academy, Wu had a personal garden wherein he meditated on his own. It was hidden by an invisible barrier that only he could access. For his brother, he removed it so that everyone may enter. It was filled with all sorts of flowers with a small pond and some bamboo reeds growing around the pond. At one part of the garden was a wall of stone with Garmadon's face largely sculpted through the rock. Under that rock, Garmadon was lowered inside, and the earth closed over it.

"Lord Garmadon," Wu stated. "Was my most trusted friend. But more than that, he was my brother. He gave his life so that we may live. So let us continue on living for him. In his memory, let us cherish the moments we have with our loved ones and let us always do what is right and just, treating everyone as a brother or sister." He then turned to his sister-in-law and nephew. "Always know that the gates of this place will forever be open to you both."

By the end of the afternoon, everyone began to leave and the gates of the school were closed once more. The next three days, the village did nothing but grieve for their lost lord. The school of magic arts too withdrew from classes, as their headmaster was in pain. Lloyd and his family grieved for a month, although they knew this time was too short. However, they remembered that they had new matters to attend to. With his father gone, Lloyd knew that the seat of the governor needed a successor. Hands shaking and eyes swollen from crying, he wrote a letter to his uncle discussing to help make arrangements for his ascension.

Another month passed after Garmadon's death, and everyone was called to manor once again to witness Lloyd's ascension. Not everyone was confident in the young lord, as they knew he spent most of his time outdoors with his general and mentor. But they grew in faith knowing his mother was still there. Everyone waited in the courtyard for the young lord's arrival. The doors finally opened to Lloyd dressed in a black vest with white sleeves, and donning a green robe with gold trimming. He stopped at the porch before steps. He turned to see his uncle on his right, dressed in a snow white tunic, covered in a white robe with golden trimmings. His mother was on his left, wearing a light green dress with white trimmings. Taking a deep breathe, he knelt down before everyone. Wu then walked in front of him and faced the crowd. Putting on a regal air, the old man spoke.

"In front of these many witnesses, this young man before us will carry on the mantle of governor over this village." In his hands, Wu carried a green cape with a golden dragon insignia and draped it on his nephew.

"This robe signifies authority," Wu continued. "With this, we acknowledge you as our new leader and we hope for a prosperous reign under you." Lloyd swallowed. He felt his palms grow sweaty. His uncle took notice and whispered "Breathe."

Lloyd gently exhaled. Wu slightly grinned and moved away. Next Misako approached her son, holding a sword resting on a velvet pillow. It had a jade hilt and guard, with dragon prints intricately carved on the guard.

"The Sword of Sanctuary," his uncle spoke again. "A symbol of hope and foresight. May you guide us in our troubled times, and always be a beacon of hope for all of us." Lloyd eyed the sword before taking it. He held the sword admiring its grand detail. He had seen this sword many times before. Although not made for battle, it was a symbol of wisdom and guidance. His father told him that it was only held by the governor of Jamanakai and it was passed down from father to son. And now it was his.

"Rise, Lord Lloyd, new governor of Jamanakai village." Lloyd stood, a new responsibility now weighing over his shoulders.

"Hail, Lord Lloyd!" the crowd cheered. The new governor held his hand up, silencing the audience.

"Please, do not address me as your 'Lord.' I do not deserve the title. I have been neglecting this responsibility for so long, but here I am. I do not deserve these robes nor this sword. But I promise you: In honor of my late father, Lord Garmadon, I will do everything in my power to bring Jamanakai to its former glory. I will keep our boarders safe, our streets orderly and our lives prosperous. I am Lloyd Garmadon, son of Lord Garmadon. This I vow, with all my heart." Gripping the Sword of Sanctuary, he unsheathed it and pointed it to the skies, it's golden blade reflecting the sun's golden rays. The crowd erupted in applause and praise.

 **Hello, my lovely readers. I'm sorry I wasn't able to post this a week after Chapter 11, like I thought I would. I encountered problems with the storyline and had to revise some things and encountered massive writer's block. But I'm glad I finally got this out.**

 **Thank you for the reviews in Chapter 11! Looking forward for more! Till the next chapter ~ SnowflakeShard**


	13. Chapter 13

*Bursts through the door*

IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER!

Sorry it took me over a month to get this chapter out. I hope it's worth the wait. Enjoy!

After the ascension, Lloyd's first duty was to discuss what was to be done with their prisoners of war. Inside the mansion, the new governor, his mother, his uncle, and his general were at the study immersed in deep conversation. They were debating on talking to the prisoners, but who? Misako suggested to talk to the Serpentine, while Wu suggested to talk to Chen.

"I believe we can still settle a truce with them," Lloyd's mother said. "And there's so much in their culture that's worth studying."

"I know they're a good subject of study, Mom," Lloyd replied. "But we have to be careful around those snake-worshippers."

"For all we know their goal might still be in play, Milady," Cole spoke up.

"I believe we should interrogate Chen first," Wu argued gently. "He's the one who found the Realm Crystal, and I want to know where and how he found it."

"And he's the one who orchestrated this whole thing," Lloyd added. He didn't want to include the fact that this man murdered his father. He was trying his hardest to move on with the incident, and he already sentenced the man to life in prison. Everyday, every inch of his being was struggling not kill this man, to exact revenge. But the memory of his late father reminded him, that that's not what his father would've wanted. On top of that, he was exhausted. He slouched at his seat. His mother gave a long sigh. It was only yesterday he took on the mantle of governor, and he was already immensely stressed.

Then a thought came to her. "What about this: I'll interrogate the Serpentine, you and your uncle can interrogate Chen."

"Mom, I don't want you going in there by yourself."

"She won't be alone," Cole assured his lord. Lloyd thought for a moment while rubbing the side of his head. Finally, he nodded in approval. "Just be careful. General, use every precaution necessary."

"By your command."

The cell of Chen was small, damp, and smelly. His cell was in an isolated room to prevent him from conversing with any prisoner, with dimly lit torches mounted on the walls for a bad excuse of lighting. In other words, he was in quarantine. The metal bar on his mouth had been removed and he was placed inside a straitjacket with his feet were bound in chains. No one dared go near him for fear of assault, even if he was in a straitjacket. Lloyd did not want anyone to fall prey to his twisted words, but he decided to provide the warlord food and water anyway, which is why his mouth was free, so that he could feed himself, even if he had to eat like a dog.

The door to the dungeon clicked at its hinges creaked as the new governor and his uncle marched inside.

"What? Are we having a slumber party now?" Chen rolled off from his sitting position to lie on his back like a dog asking for a belly rub. The two just stared at him.

"So? What's first on the list?" the lunatic continued, this time, rolling into his stomach. "Truth or dare perhaps?"

"We'll be asking you some questions," Wu started. "Answer them, and the gravity on your sentence may be reduced."

"Oh please, just ask what you want to know!" Chen squirmed in his restraints. "You're boring me!"

"Alright then," Lloyd said as he took a seat across the criminal. "The Realm Crystal. Where'd you find it?"

"Out in the backyard of my neighbor's garden," Chen replied with a hearty chuckle. Wu sighed. This is going to be harder than they thought.

"Milords, please calm yourselves," Misako coaxed, but to no avail. She was sitting down with a table in front of her and the chiefs were all cramped in one cell. This made it easier for her to talk to them rather than visiting their individual cells. Now that the chiefs were without armor, they seemed less intimidating, save the huge snake tattoo that encompassed their backs which would extend to either their chest, neck or arms. Each chief seemed to have a different kind of design, but all looked frightening and powerful nonetheless.

We demand to see Clouse!" Fangtom hissed. "I demand that you bring him here at once."

"I'm afraid Clouse is dead," Misako replied. "He fell off the cliff during the battle in the mountain."

"Well isn't that peachy!" Skalidor retorted. "All our efforts are lost."

"Forget Clouse!" Acidicus spat. "As prisoners of war, we have rights! When are we going to have our trial?"

"Trial? What trial?" Pythor bonked the chief on the head. "They'll probably hang us the next morning! Think of our tribes without their rightful chiefs!"

Cole, who had been standing beside her the whole time, had grown tired of their behavior, and slammed his fist on the table.

"SHUT IT!" the general boomed inside the tiny room, his voice bouncing furiously around the walls, causing Misako to jolt and the chiefs to whip their heads at him. Even the excess number of guards he posted in every corner and opening shook at his command. At least that got their attention. They shut their mouths and gripped the bars of their cage in silent fury.

Misako cleared her throat. "Thank you, General. As I was saying, we do not need to shed more blood. Perhaps we can combine efforts to ensure that does not happen."

"Combine efforts, bah!" Pythor spat. "We already allied with an outsider once, and look where we are!"

"That's because you allied with a crazed warlord hell bent on destroying an innocent village," Cole interrupted. It wasn't exactly his place to talk, but he couldn't help but speak his mind. The young general was impulsive when it came to his words.

"You're paid to fight, young man, not talk," Fangtom growled eyeing the black haired soldier.

Misako cleared her throat again. "I've been told that you wish to turn yourselves into snakes using dark magic. I'm afraid we can't let that happen; for dark magic is against the laws of our land."

"Then there is no reason for this conversation," Pythor sighed and went to the corner of the cell to sulk. The other chiefs did the same.

Misako stared at each of them. They had officially closed themselves off, not giving even a glance. Except for one: Skales. He was sitting against the wall like the rest of them, but he would occasionally make eye contact with the Lloyd's mother. Furthermore, he hasn't said anything or move from his spot since they walked in. And he seemed to always fidget with his hands. Misako decided to take her chances and whispered something to General Cole. The man then nodded and ordered his guards to open the cell door. With his men posted at the entrance, the general entered the compact cage and grabbed Skales by his forearm.

"What are you doing? Unhand me!" the Hypnobrai chief squirmed to get free.

"What? You're letting him go?!" the remaining chiefs argued. Cole said nothing and led Skales out the door with Misako following behind, closing the door behind her.

"What do you want? I've got nothing to say to you!" Skales crossed his arms in a huff. He was placed in an empty room with Misako sitting across the table in front of him and Cole by her side.

"I can't help but think you'll be more reasonable than the others," the woman told him.

"Just because I am silent doesn't mean I am broken."

Misako gauged his movement and expression. The chief was unchained but he did not try to escape. Like he could anyway. There were guards at every corner. Even getting past Cole would be a challenge. Misako stared and Skales stared back. Neither of them spoke or moved. After a few minutes the door creaked open and a delicious aroma filled the air. A guard had brought a tray of food and placed in front of the chief: roast beef with some sweet potato and vegetables, and a glass of water. The chief eyed it suspiciously.

"Are you trying to poison me with this meager presentation?"

"I assure you it is not poisoned," the woman told him. "I thought you'd be more at ease on a full stomach."

Skales looked at her, then back at the tray. After half a minute, he cautiously took a bite of beef. It was good. He took another and another, keeping an eye on his captors. This certainly beats the food the guards handed to them. He downed the dish immediately and wiped the residue on his mouth. He drank from the glass and let out a small burp.

"Satisfied I'd take it," Misako commented, resting her elbows on the table. "Now, I hope we can talk about our mutual interests."

Skales leaned back in his seat. "I'm listening."

"None of us want more blood shed. We can offer you trade, crops, commerce. You can offer us your knowledge. Can there be a peace between our lands?"

"I do not speak for everyone. I am my tribe's leader, and the others the same. If you want peace, talk with all of us."

"You saw what happened earlier. There was too much disorder. However, you were the most calm in that room."

The man just scoffed. "I was only thinking about the Hypnobrai tribe. We Serpentine warriors have been gone from home for some time ever since we joined that warlord, Chen. We wish to come home to them, as this war is now over."

"Why join the warlord when you knew he was going to slaughter innocents? You've never joined forces with outsiders before."

"You said it yourself. We are worshippers of the great snakes of old. We wish to become these mightiest beasts in the world, for that is the highest calling of any Serpentine."

"Pffft, that's crazy," Cole spoke up again. "Why would you want to become a snake? To slither on the ground?" Misako gave him a look.

"You clearly don't read much, do you, boy?" Skales replied.

"The snakes of old were larger than your typical snake Cole," Misako lectured. "They can reach a huge size and can devour whole villages by the day's end. The last recorded giant snake was called the Great Devourer, was it not?" Skales simply nodded.

"He was the biggest of them all, but also the most deadly," the Serpentine chief pointed out. "Even our primitive ancestors saw the danger in him and went into hiding until it died of old age."

"So remind me why again, would you want to turn into something you yourselves feared in the past?" Cole asked.

"Because we saw their might. We were this close to getting our hands on that spell book," Skales whispered. "But you just had to come and ruin everything."

"How did you know that Chen had the spell that could turn you into super snakes then?"

"We didn't. He came to us one day, claiming that he had what we've been waiting for our whole lives. We laughed at his bluff but then he took one villager from one of the tribes. His number two performed the spell. To our shock, the villager turned into a huge serpent. Chen told us he could do that to all of us if we fought with him against your village."

"What happened to the villager?" asked Misako.

"Clouse killed him," Skales replied. "Chen said that's what would happen to us if we did not follow him into battle."

"But Chen's defeated now," Misako continued. "You need not fear for your people anymore. Please. I ask you to forget about your dark quest and to let us help you." The chief then shut his mouth. He was too proud.

"At least do it for your villages. If you truly wish to return home, this is the fastest –and the only-way." The chief looked at Misako for a moment. Finally, he sighed.

"I will talk to the other chiefs." Misako stood up.

"Splendid. We look forward to a fruitful fellowship with you all." She held out her hand for Skales to shake. The tattooed man looked at it for a moment before shaking it. He then looked at her intently.

"But don't get your hopes up."

"I will return soon, expecting some responses from the other chiefs." Misako gave a short bow and headed out the door. Cole ordered his men to cuff Skales and take him back to his cell. As Misako and Cole walked in the dungeon corridor, Cole spoke up.

"Just out of curiosity, Milady. With Clouse dead, do you think that spell's gone for good?"

"I hope so," the woman replied. "If ever there were objects with magical properties that were found by the soldiers, they would either be burnt, or surrendered to Wu. But I'll ask him about it to be sure."

Meanwhile, Lloyd and Wu weren't having any luck. The warlord would not provide them with a straight answer and would laugh every few minutes while rolling around. It was either he was toying with them, or he had completely lost his mind. Lloyd was at his wits end already.

"This isn't working!" the young lord yelled. He felt his uncle's hand on his shoulder.

"Perhaps we need to try a different approach." The old man said and summoned someone in. When Chen saw her, he sat up and leaned against the wall, his face turning to that of disgust.

"You." Skylor walked into the room and looked at her father's pitiful face.

"You're that mage in the mountain," Lloyd recalled.

"This is Skylor," Wu introduced the lady. "A student of mine, and… Chen's only daughter." Lloyd is taken aback by this, but his uncle's calm expression told him to relax.

"She has been studying under me for ten years and is my best student. And she is not affiliated with Chen in any way." Wu then turned to Skylor. "Perhaps you'll have better luck." Skylor nodded and approached her father's cell. She knelt on the damp floor and squared her shoulders.

"Please leave us."

"But-" Lloyd protested but his uncle had already led him out the door.

"Are you sure it's okay to leave her in there with him?" Lloyd asked while they waited outside. "She is his daughter after all."

"I trust her with my life, Lloyd." Wu stroked his beard. "She may have kept her lineage a secret, but for good reason. I have watched her grow from being the broken and terrified girl she was to a strong and powerful young woman. I looked into her eyes, and saw that she would never betray us."

"Even if it meant her own father?"

"From what she's been through, I doubt she ever saw him as a father at all."

"When did you figure out she was Chen's daughter?"

"After your father's memorial. She approached me after the burial and told me everything. I saw in her so much pain, regret, and anger. She almost looked like how she did when she came to my school many years ago: a little girl who had lost her way. When I told her we would interrogate Chen, she didn't want to see him because she still bore so much hatred towards her father. But I told her that perhaps he would listen to her better than he would us and that she knows his patterns more than anyone, making her interrogation smoother than ours." Lloyd remained silent, running his fingers across his blonde locks.

"I hope you're right, Uncle."

Neither Skylor and Chen could move a muscle as both are locked into each other's gaze, both holding their own against the other. After what seemed like forever, the warlord blinked and groaned.

"Alright, I'm bored. Come back tomorrow when I'm in the mood." Skylor heaved a loud sigh.

"I didn't want to come here. I wanted to forget you and everything you've ever done, let you rot for the rest of your pathetic life. But my master summoned me and I never refuse his orders."

"Awww, I've been replaced. Was I really never a good enough father for you?"

"Good enough? Good enough?!" the female mage raised her voice, her eyes blazing with rage as she stood up and grabbed the bars of the cell, almost pressing her face against them. "YOU told ME I wasn't good enough! All my life you told me I was weak because I couldn't handle magic the way Clouse could, and thus not worthy to be in your presence. It was only because of my mother that I endured your constant outbursts and beatings." She looked at her father dead in the eye. "When I ran away ten years ago, it turns out that was the best decision of my life. I have found refuge in Master Wu's school and I saw new meaning in my life. He gave me courage to live and use my abilities for good. If anything, I owe my life to him. And he was a hundred times more a father to me than you ever were!"

Chen scoffed at his daughter's words. His face had turned grave. He wasn't hurt with what the young woman had said, but he had ran out of comebacks that would piss her off. "Say what you will then. It's not like I cared even an ounce about you."

Skylor snorted. She'd gotten his attention. "I know you didn't." She then began to relax and squatted on the floor. "Now, we have some 'catching up' to do."

"Oh how I missed you too, Sweetie," Chen frowned and slouched even further, utterly annoyed with his daughter's presence.

"What have you been up to?" Skylor stated, trying to sound humorous and cheery. She thought this would annoy her father into talking, giving him a taste of his own medicine. She hated every second of it, but she did it anyway. "Bet you've been travelling a lot to find a certain memento of ten years ago, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, the realm crystal. I found it. Easy peasy. Now shoo."

"But WHERE did you find it? Last I remember the blacksmith and his wife had it and they sent it somewhere far off."

"Yah, way far off."

"Where exactly?"

"The sea."

"How?" The warlord eyed his daughter, and she stared right back. Seeing she would say nothing until her question answered, he sat up a little straighter.

"Fine. When Arcturus flew overhead, we were already on the lookout for the Realm Crystal's new hiding place. We saw that the light shone towards the ocean, I was like, 'Come on!' Of all the places to hide the realm crystal, that woman chose the ocean? Really?"

Skylor cleared her throat. Chen looked her, and continued. "Anyways, we ended up in a disgusting excuse for a village called Stix, and saw a captain docking his ship. Looked very sketchy, him and his crew. Then again, Stix is sketchy all over. What was his name? Sammy, Suko? Hmmm… Sato? Or was it Soto? Eh who cares? Anyway Captain What's-His-Name apparently saw exactly where Arcturus' light had shone in the ocean. So we forced him and his crew to take us to that exact spot. He and his men obviously put a fight, but Clouse and his prodigies taught them a lesson. You remember Karloff, Neuro and the others right?"

"How could I not?" Skylor mumbled. "They used to beat me up too."

"Anywho, Captain Sumo brought us to that spot, quite far from the mainland."

"And?" Skylor leaned in to listen.

"Uh…" Chen looked up the ceiling trying to recall.

"AND?"

"Hmmm…"

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" The girl had lost her patience.

"Will you be quiet, brat? I'm trying to remember, you ingrate!" Chen scolded. Skylor was forced to sit back down and wait patiently for the man to answer.

"Ah yes! We sent someone to dive in and get it. And bada-bing-bada-boom, we got it!" Chen tried to lift his right hand but his straitjacket prevented him, causing him to fall on his face. He looked up, expecting Skylor to laugh, but this time she sported a straight face, not at all amused at his antics.

"And what happened to those sailors?"

"Sailors? You mean pirates. Of course we killed them and went back to land."

Skylor's heart ached. They may be pirates, but they didn't have to be murdered. "And Stix?"

"Burnt down." She buried her head in her palms, tears trying to gush out. But she had to stay strong. There was no way she was crying in front of him.

"I'm kidding, Sweetie. We left unharmed because it was the base of operations for one of my many friends. My man, Ronin? Remember him? He knocked you out that night you and your boyfriend tried to kill me."

"I remember." Skylor stood up. She believed she got the information they needed. "Well this was amusing for you, and in no way comfortable for me, so I'll be taking my leave… Have fun rotting here in this stinky cell."

"Alright then!" Chen moved closer to the bars. "Buh-bye" Then he suddenly burst out: "IT WAS CAPTAIN SOTO!"

Skylor sighed as she exited the room. She was angry at her father. But at the same time, sad. He looked so pathetic and pitiful. He has indeed reached his lowest point, seeming to slowly succumb to a deranged mind, falsely trying to seem happy, but at his core, broken and defeated. The door swung open, with Lloyd and Wu leaning against the opposite wall, chatting.

"That took quite a while," Lloyd told her.

"Which proved to be beneficial," Wu responded. "I take it we have the information we need?" Skylor nodded.

"We need to meet up in the study to discuss our next move," Lloyd started walking across the corridor.

"Thank you, Skylor, for agreeing to do this. I know it was hard for you."

The younger mage swallowed. "It was. But you got what you needed, so it's fine."

"Come, let us head to the study. I'm sure we still a long day ahead of us."

Skales was lead back to his individual cell, which was adjacent to Pythor's cell on one side, and the wall on the other. His door banged and the guard locked it with his key before leaving. He then sat down on his rickety cot found on one corner.

"Well?" Pythor asked his inmate.

"Patience, my fellow chief."

"What are her demands?" Fangtom asked.

"Same old, same old. Alliance, help us, we help you."

"Hah! Typical outsider !" Acidicus replied. The Serpentine chiefs snickered maniacally.

"But were you able to finish the procedure?" Pythor asked again. "That ruckus we caused gave me a headache, so it better be worth it."

"Yes, yes. I looked into eyes long enough and made physical contact with her." He then dug into the folds of his ragged clothes and pulled out a doll made out of straw. It bore a slight resemblance to the Lady Misako of Jamanakai village. "Don't worry my Serpentine brothers. We'll have that spell in our hands in no time."

Big thank you to The Mayor of Ninjago City, MidnightShard99, Guest Jens, Guest TheAmberShadow, and NinjagoMLP77 for your reviews. From now on, I'll be giving shout outs of thanks to show my appreciation for your reviews. And even those who don't review but still read anyway, thank you. Without you all, this story would never have come this far.

Till next chapter ~ SnowflakeShard


	14. Chapter 14

"So." Lloyd leaned on the round table, his associates with him again in the study, with Skylor among them. What have we learned so far?"

"The chief of the Hypnobrai tribe shall talk with the other chiefs, so that's a start," Misako informed everyone.

"How long till we get results?"

"Not long. Hopefully by tomorrow." The young lord then turned to Skylor.

"So, what did Chen tell you, Miss Skylor?"

"Chen fished the Realm Crystal from the ocean, off the coast of a village called Stix. A man named Ronin works for him there."

"Ronin is more of a third party than an actual threat," Cole pointed out. "There's no need to deal with him. What else?"

"That's all he's told me," the mage finished. "Should there have been more?"

"No, it's alright Skylor." Master Wu told his pupil. "You may go. However please come back tomorrow, for we may need to fish out more unseen information." Skylor stood up and gave a short bow. She headed out the room and it was the four of them again.

"So, back to the matter at hand," Lloyd continued. "We now know where the Realm Crystal was found, the Serpentine have considered our demands, and I can finally get some sleep." He let himself lean back on his seat, his rear slowly sliding off the cushion.

"It's been a long day," Misako told everyone. "I suggest everyone to get some rest." Everyone stood up to take their leave. Cole bowed first and walked out the door with long, powerful strides.

"Are you staying for dinner, Wu?" Misako followed her brother-in-law out of the study.

"I'm afraid I cannot," the old man replied softly. "I need to tend to the school. Please understand."

"Of course. Have a good night, then." Both turned away until Misako called after him again. "Before I forget. I need to ask something of you."

"What is it?"

"After your battle at the Wailing Alps, did you happen to find any magical objects of any sort?"

Wu began stroking his snow-white beard. "As a matter of fact, I did. Clouse's spell book."

"What did you do with it?"

"I tried to burn it, but Clouse must have cast a spell that rendered it immune to flames. I'm currently looking for a way to reverse the spell, or find another way to destroy it."

"I see. Where is it now?"

"Back in the school in my office. Why do you ask?"

"I just became curious. With the interrogation of the Serpentine chiefs, their desired spell maybe in those pages."

"Which is why it is very urgent for me to return and find a way to destroy that accursed book. I bid you good night, Misako." The old man gave a curt bow and left. Misako sighed and went back inside the study, just in time to see Lloyd snoring silently in a not-so-comfortable position. Her lips creased into a smile as she approached her son and lightly tapped on his shoulder.

"Hmmmm… Mom?" the lad groaned.

"Come on, son. Off to bed with you." Lloyd slowly got on his feet and walked with his mother to a separate wing that led to their quarters. Misako opened the door to her son's room and Lloyd immediately went in.

"Lloyd," his mother called. The young man turned around. He felt his mother's warm lips on his forehead and her right hand cupping his cheek.

"You did great today, my son."

"Thank you, Mom." Lloyd suddenly felt a surge of emotions. His eyes slowly became red as he put his hand over his mother's. "Think Dad would've been proud?"

"Of course, Lloyd," his mother also starting to sob. "He's always been proud of you."

"I miss him…" Lloyd couldn't hold back. He cried in front of his mother. Misako wrapped her arms around her son and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Me too, Lloyd. Me too."

It was midnight. Everyone was asleep. Except for one woman. Misako slipped from her bed and wore a leather vest, a pair of thick trousers and leather boots. Grabbing a black cloak from her wardrobe, a satchel, and a small knife, she snuck out of the mansion. She started climbing the steps toward the academy within the mountain. When she reached the stone gates, they automatically opened the moment she came toward it. True to his promise, Wu commanded that the gates automatically open at the presence of his relatives. Misako slipped in and briskly walked along the fields until she reached the magnificent school building. The lights were out, save bubbles of illumination that hovered like fireflies around the area. Misako looked around for an opening by scanning all the windows and doors. As she entered the stables, she spotted a service entrance connecting the stables to the kitchen. The lock was old and a bit rusty, like no one used this door in a while. Grabbing a nearby shovel, Misako struck the lock with the shovel's sharp edge until it broke. The horses started to get restless and began to bray softly. She had to be fast. She slipped out of the kitchen and walked through the dark hallway.

All the students were asleep, but Master Wu's office was nearby. Once Misako reached it, she hoped that it wasn't locked. She held her breathe and squeezed on the knob. It gave a soft click. She opened the door and went in. Lighting a small lamp found on his desk, the woman began her search. She started with the desk and its drawers, moving to the huge book case afterwards. She then noticed that the bookshelf was a bit unstable. Grabbing onto the side, she pulled and pulled. Finally the shelf began to budge and swung open. A vault was mounted into the wall. There was a small lock with intricate designs of nature. It had no ke hole but was no doubt a lock nonetheless, Misako twisted and jerked it, but it won't budge. It was obvious that this object could only be unlocked by magic. Feeling her efforts were in vain, she banged her fist on the vault in frustration.

"Looking for this?" Misako turned around to see Wu holding up a thick piece of leather: Clouse's spell book. The old man eyed his sister-in-law and noticed something strikingly different about her: her dark brown eyes had become crimson red.

"Give that to me, now."' Misako held out her hand and placed the other on top of her knife.

"You know I can't do that, Misako. Or should I say, chief of the Hynobrai tribe?"

"Clever old man you are," Misako replied, casually moving around the table, trying to get closer to Wu, who was slowly backing away.

"I knew something was off when Misako invited me to stay," Wu said aloud. "And you have just confirmed my suspicions."

"Give me that book!" Misako hurled the knife at the wizard who deflected it with his staff. Misako immediately pushed the old man, locking her hands on the book. Both wrestled over the object, Misako pulling with all her might. Wu dropped his staff to get a better grip of the book. Misako kicked the old man in the knee, causing him to kneel on impact. Using her right hand, the woman delivered a punch to Wu's left cheek. Wu tumbled to the floor, but his grip was still strong. With all of his strength, he charged forward, knocking Misako to the ground. He quickly pinned her to the ground with one hand, and with the other, he waved it over Misako's face, while chanting a disenchantment spell.

Meanwhile, in the Serpentine cell, Skales was sitting on the floor facing the wall, his eyes had become crimson red, linked to everything his host saw. The back of his hands were resting on each knee, and Misako's doll was in front of him. Controlling someone was no easy task, and his inmates were not being helpful either.

"What's taking so long?" whispered Pythor.

"Shut up if you don't want us to get caught!" Fangtom corrected.

Skales was struggling to keep his host under his control. It was a battle of mind versus magic. With Wu's spell undoing his work, the Serpentine chief had to think of something before he lost Misako for good. He surveyed his surroundings as he noticed that the dagger that he threw wasn't that far. He summoned Misako to use her free hand to hit Wu again. This time the wizard stumbled back rubbing his chin and Misako scrambled to her feet to grab the dagger. Wasting no time, she jumped the old man, digging the blade on the side of his back. Wu grunted from the sting, but Misako wasn't finished. She jabbed his back repeatedly with her elbow before clasping her hands together and clubbed the back of his head. Wu's whole body ached in pain with blood slowly soaking his tunic. He fell on the floor unconscious and finally let go of Clouse's spell book.

Skales exhaled in victory as his host bent down to grab the leather-bound book and tucked it inside her satchel. She then took a handful of Wu's snow white hair and hoisted the wizard's head. Carefully placing the dagger over the man's throat, she prepared to slit him open.

A knock on the door broke Skale's concentration. He let go of the old man and hid behind the door. The hinges slightly creaked and a new figure entered the room.

"Master? Are you in here? I heard a commotion. Is something-?" Skylor stopped in her tracks. Her master was unconscious and bleeding on the floor. She rushed to his side and performed a healing spell. Skylor looked around to find her teacher's assailant and saw that no one was there.

"Misako?" The wizard muttered under his breath. His eyes wandered the room but all he could see was his red-haired student.

"It's me, Master. It's Skylor. What happened to you?" The wound slowly closed and Skylor swung Wu's arm around her shoulder. She carefully led the old man to the couch where he could lie down, but Wu swerved towards the door.

"Misako. She, attacked me. I'm afraid the Hypnobrai chief Skales has her under his control." He reached for the door. "Which is why she took Clouse's spell book." Skylor's eyes widened and opened the door. She prompted Wu against the doorpost and dashed out.

"Where are you going?!"

"I'm going after her!"

"Wait!"

Skylor sprinted to the stables. One stall had been emptied. She ran to the nearest horse and opened its stall gate. Not even tacking her horse, she rode toward the stone gates. By now, half the school was starting to wake up from the noise, and their headmaster had just activated an alarm signal. The girl's steed galloped as fast as she could push him. In the distance, she could see a cloaked figure closing in on the entrance. The stone gates slowly opened at Misako's presence and sealed shut once she reached the stairs' threshold. The young mage summoned the doors to open as her steed slowed to a canter. The doors opened again and they moved down the steps. It was hard for horses to move at top speed down the steps, especially at night. Even if each tread was wide enough, the dim lighting can make one easily lose their footing if not careful. She carefully guided her horse down the mountain. Misako was now a lot farther than she was earlier. When the young mage finally reached the bottom, she leaned forward and gave her steed a short kick, urging him to quicken his gait. As she neared the estate, she could see Misako entering the gates upon the guard's permission.

"Who goes there?!" One of the guards drew his spear forward as Skylor trotted toward them.

"I have to talk to the young lord." Skylor dismounted her steed. She decided not to tell the guards her real agenda, knowing they wouldn't believe her over the late governor's wife. "I fear we are grave danger." The guards looked at each other; but instead of putting their spears down, they gripped them even tighter and pointed them towards the young mage.

"We have orders not to let anyone in at this hour. Go home, miss."

"From who?" She didn't have time for this.

"Lady Misako." Great. She's been locked out. Skylor gave a short nod and prepared to walk away. When she was about a few feet from the guards, she spun around and blasted ice on them, freezing them in place. She then froze the gate's lock and kicked it open, sprinting inside.

"Intruder!" She could hear the guards screaming as she maneuvered her way to the nearest door. She burst inside and barred the door with the nearest furniture she could find. Using her memory, she made her way back to the dungeon. She was sure the guards were now expecting her by the time she got there. Running down the hallway, she collided with another person.

"Hey, Miss, you alright?" Dareth asked. Skylor looked at him and a thought came to her.

"I'm sorry about this," Skylor told him and grabbed his wrists and swung them behind his back. Using the belt on her tunic she tied his hands together.

"Owow what are you doing?!" Dareth squeaked while Skylor pushed him around like a human shield.

"I need you to get me to the dungeon. Lady Misako's been possessed!"

"You've gotta be kidding me, Miss!"

When she got to the dungeon, the guards barred their weapons.

"Put down your weapons, or I'll kill this man!" The girl threatened.

"WHAT?!" The man screamed in a high-pitched tone. Skylor fought the urge to roll her eyes and placed her hand under Dareth's throat. Water formed around her wrist, taking the shape of a blade.

"Please do it! Please do it! Don't let me die!" Dareth squirmed. The guards, however, didn't back off, until a loud explosion was heard in one of the cells. All the guards ran toward the Serpentine cells and kicked the door down. The room was now empty and with the assigned guards unconscious on the floor. All cell doors were opened, and a big dark hole was found in the center of the floor. Skylor pushed her way through the soldiers, who were too dumbfounded at the hole there. Without a second thought, she jumped in.

The fall was longer than she thought. She curled into a ball and rolled against the moist floor. A flame appeared on her palm and she waved it around to survey her surroundings. At the corner of her eye, a spark was seen flying towards the hole from where she came in. A loud sound exploded and rocks came crashing down, forcing her to run. When she got in the clear, she was greeted with five towering figures and cold eyes before feeling a heavy but sharp blow in the head. Her mind went black and her body met the ground.

"Pick her up. She'll be of use later." Pythor commanded the chief of the Venomari tribe. Acidicus scooped the mage in his arms and swung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Let's move, we don't have much time," Skales told them dragging a hypnotized Misako behind him. She was carrying explosives which she stole from the armory. The Serpentine followed a straight line with the Constrictai chief Skalidor leading the way. In his hand was a heavy stolen hammer which he used to dig through the walls with his brute strength. Although shorter than the rest of the chiefs, Skalidor was bulkier and physically stronger than the rest. Pythor walked behind him with a torch for light.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Pythor asked him.

"We Constrictai know the ground like the back of our hands." Skalidor swung his hammer again. "This rock is part of the mountain wall. It will take me some time to map our way through and exit out of the mountain but away from the village."

After several minutes of walking and digging, Skalidor finally hit a softer wall. The rocks crumbled immediately and a breeze of fresh air blew in their faces. Pythor took a peek and saw that they were at least three kilometers from Jamanakai village, just in time to see the protective barrier appear and lower to the ground.

"Let's go!" Acidicus trudged against the grassy plain.

"We'll never get far on foot," Pythor told him. "We need horses."

"Leave that to me." Skales began to pluck some grass. He crafted it into a doll and held it up in front of Skylor, who was still unconscious.

"Well you better hurry," Fangtom pointed at Skylor, who was beginning to stir.

"Give her to me," Skales handed Misako to the Fangpyre chief as Acidicus put the girl down. The Venomari chief then bound the mage's hands with rope.

"Light." Fangtom shined his torch over the girl's face while Skales placed his two hands on Skylor's cheeks. At his touch, the girl opened her eyes and was horrified to see the Serpentine chief's face so close.

"Look into my eyes, child." Skylor couldn't look away, neither could she close her eyes. Something in Skale's eyes compelled her to obey. Skales then plucked a hair from the girl's head and tied it to the grass doll he just made. Chanting a Serpentine incantation, he waved the doll in front of Skylor's face. The girl's eyes slowly changed from green to crimson. Acidicus removed the restraints and stood still, waiting for her new master's orders.

"Now, teleport there, and grab some horses for us." The young mage moved forward and with a bright light, disappeared in front of everyone. The chiefs then ran to the opposite side of the mountain to hide and wait for their rides there.

Skylor appeared in the giant barracks' stables. Her knees buckled in exhaustion and her body met with the ground. Even though she could perform a teleportation spell, it required so much energy from the user, especially when they were not frequent users of such an advanced spell. And for the red-head, she had only performed it once her whole life and that time she fell unconscious for several hours. Her body still wasn't used to the magical energy she was dispensing. Had she had control of her body Skylor would refuse to move. She would wait for a passerby to pick her up and carry her to safety. But her will was bound to the Serpentine chief, and his orders to her were law. Ignoring the pain coursing through her system, the girl pressed forward, slowly walked toward the horses, who were still there but in full gear. The soldiers weren't around, but probably outside patrolling the village. Grabbing a nearby noose, she tied them on the bridles of five horses. She then shot several fireballs at different parts of the building, letting the flames consume the hay and eventually reaching the wooden posts. The horse began screaming and kicking trying desperately to escape. Mounting the lead horse, Skylor led the five steeds out of the stable at top speed. She didn't bother looking at the residents who tried to get out of the way of her stampede, or the people who rushed to the barracks to douse the flames. She galloped through the village with only the barrier as her last obstruction. Using her magic like before, she tore open a huge hole for her and the horses to pass. She didn't see the eyes of a certain blacksmith look at her with confusion, nor did she hear him call out to her.

When she returned to her captors, they immediately mounted the steeds she had brought them.

"I'm assuming we still need these women?" Fangtom asked as he mounted his horse while the others did the same. Skales nodded and held his hand out to Skylor. The mage took it and swung her leg over the horse's back, wrapping her hands around the Hypnobrai chief.

"We can't have Garmadon's wife telling where we'll be going." Pythor lifted Misako aboard his horse as well. He steadied his horse as everyone held their reigns tightly, Their eyes fixed in the same direction.

"Brothers, to the lost city... Of Oroboros!" With a kick and smack, the chiefs galloped into the night.


	15. Chapter 15

"Zane! Zane!"

The ninja of ice woke up to the sound of his name. He jolted from his bed as he heard a loud horn being blown from the mountain. Pixal invaded his vision, hovering inches from his face.

"Pixal what's happening?"

"I don't know. But the sound seems to be coming from Master Wu's school. Something must be wrong." Suddenly, Zane's bedroom door swung open with a bang. Kai stood at the doorpost, still in a cold sweat.

"The manor's been breached and the Serpentine have escaped!" The blacksmith began to strap his sword and sheath onto his belt, somewhat dazed from being abruptly awoken.

"The school's been breached as well," Nya added, fumbling to tighten to her robes. "Otherwise we wouldn't hear that alarm."

Zane grabbed his leather vest with his sword and darted out with the siblings. Residents near the manor had already gotten buckets of water, doing their best to douse the fire. By now the fire had spread rapidly and soldiers were trying to get everyone out of the manor. As the three of them ran across town zipping past the people heading the opposite direction, Kai heard screaming on the other side of the street. When he turned his head, he saw Skylor on horseback, making a beeline with several other horses towards the village's exit, forcing other villagers to move out of the way in fright.

"Skylor!" Kai called out. She didn't seem to hear him. He kept repeating her name until she reached the border. The young blacksmith was about to dart after her when he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

"Kai! What are you doing?!" Zane grabbed him by the shoulders. "We need to protect the people!" Kai looked back one more time before groaning in agreement, ascending the steps leading to the manor.

"Get out of the way!" Nya yelled as she entered the gates. Servants were running in the opposite direction while guards were helping people exit the mansion. Kai ran up to the nearest guard.

"Who else is still inside?"

"A few people are still in there, including her Ladyship and the young lord."

"Nya, stay here and douse the flames," Kai drew his sword and approached the front door, which had already been kicked down. "I'm going in."

"I've got your back Kai," Zane said, his own sword drawn, his faithful pixie still beside him.

"Be careful."

The two men charged inside. They weaved through the hallways, trying to find whoever was still trapped inside.

"The ground floor's clear!" Zane yelled as Kai skipped through the steps toward the second floor. Smoke had now entered the mansion and it was getting thicker by the second. As Kai reached the top step, he covered his mouth and nose. Zane easily caught up with him but also began coughing as black smoke clouded their vision. Their lungs were getting constricted as well, forcing them to hold their breath longer than both could.

'If I were a nindroid, this wouldn't be a problem.' Zane thought to himself. Kai forced himself to move forward but he wasn't faring any better. Then a silver light enveloped them both, encasing both their bodies. His lungs were clearing of the smoke and his eyes could see straight ahead.

"Come on, Lloyd and Misako need us." Zane turned his head to see Pixal flying ahead of him, her own frame emitting a silver glow. With a newfound confidence, Zane looked at Kai who was starting to regain his bearings as well. He offered his hand to him to hoist him up, and they continued to trudge forward. After some time, they could hear a voice in the hallway, accompanied by severe coughing.

"Is anyone still here?"

"Cole!" Kai called out. "Cole is that you?"

Pixal flew ahead and disappeared in the smoke, Zane and Kai hastening their steps to follow. Closing the distance, they caught sight of the dark-haired general carrying an unconscious Lloyd in his arms, both of them glowing a silver aura provided by Pixal hovering above them.

"Lady Misako?" Zane asked. Cole shook his head.

"She's nowhere to be found. This one I found trying to help the other staff clear out, but the smoke got to him too fast."

By now, the fire had started to consume the posts, walls and the ceiling. Debris fell faster and faster as the four men now tried to get to the stairs and out to the nearest exit.

"LOOK OUT!" Zane yelled as he pulled Kai back from stepping down the stairway just as the wooden support beams came crashing down, obliterating their only route down. Zane looked around, looking for another way out. "Cole. What's the closest chamber to the frontage of the house?" Without hesitation, Cole turned around, heading for the sleeping quarters. After five doors down the hallway, Cole finally stops. "Kick it down!" Zane spun and sent the door flying off its hinges. The room was on fire already, but the damage was still minimal. Looking around, he grabbed the drapes hanging on the windows and tugged them off.

"Kai! Grab the beddings and blankets! We're getting out through that window!" Kai did as he's told and yanked the blankets off the bed, putting out the small flames consuming its corners. He then handed them to Zane, who proceeded to tie them together, with the end being secured to one of the bed posts.

"Cole, open that window and see how far we are from the ground." Cole speedily but gently props Lloyd on one arm as he unhooked the latch of the window sticking his head out.

"Cole! Down here!" Nya's voice rang from below. She then proceeded to blast water at the sides of the windows to extinguish the consuming flames. "We're trying to extinguish the flames as fast as we could, but the others are tending to the wounded. Where's Kai and Zane?"

"They're right here. They're currently tying sheets together to—" more debris began to fall from the hallway.

"We have to move!" Zane heaped up the sheets and dropped them out the window. He then moved aside to give Cole room. Zane and Kai took Lloyd from the general to allow him to maneuver out of the opening and position himself to receive the young boy before descending. When he was ready, Kai lowered Lloyd to Cole's arm, while Cole's free arm remained tight on the blanket. Gently, he slid himself down, getting a rough landing, but he made sure that was shielded from the impact. Nya and Jay—who arrived moments earlier—ran to his side along with some other retainers of the house, pulling him and the young lord to safety.

"Your turn," Zane told Kai, who immediately sheathed his sword and shimmied down the building. As Zane swung his leg over the window jamb, the fire grew closer. "Pixal, let's go!" The pixie simply nodded and zipped outside. Zane swiftly slid down the knotted fabric and ran away from the building to join the others.

After a few minutes, a few more mages arrived from the mountain, summoning water to douse the flames once and for all. All the injured were placed in the infirmary, while injured guards were placed in the barracks, with anyone available tending their wounds. Zane, after being treated for some minor burns, got looked around at the people helping each other patch up. He silently cursed at himself. If only he had his ice powers, he could have frozen the flames solid and got everyone out unharmed. Or he could have used spinjitzu to get through the flames with ease.

"I know that look." The ninja looked up from his trance to see Pixal hovering in front of him, her arms crossed. "Do not feel guilty or feel that you weren't competent enough tonight. You know that you would always protect those who cannot protect themselves, powers or no powers." Zane smiled weakly. "Whatever would I do without you, Pixal?" The pixie's cheeks were tinted with pink, something Zane never saw before due to her previous metal skin. And he found it quite endearing.

"You know you can do fine without me Zane," Pixal replied.

"That's not true. We've been through so much, it's hard for me to think without you by my side."

"Ahem." Both turned from their conversation to see Jay, looking very grave. "Sorry to interrupt, but Cole wants to see you." Zane slowly got up from his cot, entering the general's office. Lloyd, Kai, and Nya were already there. Cole was sitting at his desk, his dark eyes deep in thought. Before him was a map of the realm, extending beyond Jamanakai village, covering deserts, forests, mountains, all the way to the ocean. Small and big villages scattered across the map, but the general's eyes were fixed on Jamanakai's borders. Standing up, he began pacing around with his hands behind his back.

"You know you don't need to act tough right now, right?" Kai told him. "We're all still a little roasted so a little rest won't hurt."

Cole let out a heavy sigh. "I know that. But the longer we stay here, the farther the Serpentine get away from us."

"And no one's seen my mother yet," Lloyd added. "I'll bet the Serpentine took her."

"She left with the Serpentine, that I can assure you," Master Wu entered the office as well. "But not of her own will. She was hypnotized by the Serpentine chief Skales and stole Clouse's spell book for them."

Lloyd ran his hand through his hair. "How could you be so careless, Mom? What if something happens to her? What do you think the Serpentine will do when she's served her purpose?"

Kai put his hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "We'll just have to make sure that does not happen."

"So, what's the plan, General?" Jay asked moving towards the map.

"There won't be a plan until we figure out which way they're headed" Cole replied, looking at the map as well.

"Have you tried investigating their cells created to escape?" Zane asked. "Surely it must have a clue lying around somewhere."

"Not yet," Cole replied. "My men are still clearing out the wreckage from the fire. Once the path is clear, we'll head into the dungeons to see where the tunnel they bore will lead. In the meantime, any information that's out of the ordinary would be very helpful right now."

"I think I may have seen something last night," Kai pointed out. Everyone turned to him, anxiously waiting for an answer. "I saw Chen's daughter ride out of the village with five horses in tow."

"Five horses for five Serpentine chiefs," Nya concluded.

"So, wait, you're telling me Chen's daughter was working with the Serpentine this whole time?" Jay asked. "Like some double agent-spy whatever?"

"That is highly unlikely," Master Wu corrected. "Skylor aided me when Misako was under their control. Then she went after them herself."

"Are you sure about that?" Cole challenged. "She did threaten to kill Dareth to get to the dungeons."

"She did it because your soldiers stopped her from getting there upon Misako's orders. She had no choice. Though I do not commend her method, I know that she is one of the most loyal and trustworthy people I know. I believe that when she got to the chiefs, she was hypnotized as well."

Cole finally backed down and sat on his chair. "Alright. Given that that is what happened, the Serpentine have a bigger head start than we thought, now that we know they're on horseback."

"If they're going on horseback, they must be going somewhere far. Perhaps home?" Zane perused the map, looking for possible clues. Where could they go? He decided to dig in his own mind, reminding himself of the encounters of his world's Serpentine. When they were together, where would they go? And then it hit him. "Does the name 'Ouroboros' sound familiar to any of you?"

"Ouroboros, Ouroboros, I know I've read about it somewhere," Nya replied while rubbed her temples, commanding herself to remember.

"Ouroboros is the legendary city of the Serpentine tribes," Wu answered for her. "The tribes' villages are scattered all over the land, but the one place they converge in reverence is the City of Ouroboros. That's where all their most sacred rituals are held."

"Based on my mother's interrogation with Skales," Lloyd joined in. "The Serpentine wanted to turn themselves into giant snakes of legend, like that of the Great Devourer. Do you think that's what they plan to do once they get to the city?"

"There's no doubt about that now," Master Wu replied. "That's why they allied with Chen in the first place. But with Clouse gone, they don't have anyone to perform the spell on them. Unless…"

"Unless they took Skylor with them as well," Kai finished. There was a huge moment of silence.

"Okay, okay, so backtrack for a minute," Jay spoke up. "The Serpentine allied with Crazy Warlord Guy to get Spooky Mage's spell book to turn into giant snakes. The realm crystal was never in their agenda, so they couldn't care less what happened to Chen as long as they got the spell. But since Chen's plan went downhill, they formulized another plan to get the book by hypnotizing Lady Misako into stealing it from Master Wu's Magic School. Oh, no offense, Sir."

"None taken, young Jay," Wu replied.

"And on top of that, they also kidnapped Chen's daughter to perform the spell in place of Clouse so we're pretty much doomed until we find where this Ouroboros is in order to stop them. Did I miss anything?" By the time he was finished, Jay was pretty much huffing, realizing he was talking at a fast pace.

"Nope, that's pretty much it," Nya told him casually. "The only problem we have right now is locating Ouroboros because it's not on the map." Nya looked at the huge parchment sprawled on the table, its sides rolling off the edges. She lifted the sides, looking for possible clues, but it was getting quite difficult for her to see the whole thing. "Cole, can we bring this to the war room, please? Sorry but your table's too small for this." Cole simply nodded and rolled up the map. He then led everybody to the adjacent room, where a huge circular table as found at the center of the room. The general then sprawled the parchment on the table, allowing the entire thing to be seen from end to end.

"Ah, that's much better, thanks, Cole." Nya continued to move around the map, taking notice of the locations of the Serpentine villages. Zane followed along with her, remembering how his world's Nya was able to figure out the location of the Venomari and Constrictai tombs. As his eyes wandered the map, he noticed that the villages were positioned at a similar pattern as that of the Ninjago symbol for a serpent, just like back home. He also remembered his Ouroboros was located in the Sea of Sand. Perhaps their city was hidden in a desert area as well.

"General!" A soldier burst into the room, panting.

"It'd better be good news," Cole told him, face stoic as ever.

"We've cleared the debris from the cell and found the exit of the tunnel dug beneath it: It leads to the far side of the mountain, quite a blind spot for anyone from Jamanakai to see. However, that's not all of it. We found fresh horse tracks that seem to lead to the desert."

"Anything else?"

"No, Sir."

"Then dismissed." The soldier bowed his head and left.

"Okay, so desert it is. But where do we look first?" Nya circled the table to look that the desert area of the map. "They could be anywhere."

"If only I could mass produce my gliders for everyone, then we could search for them faster." Jay sighed.

"Great idea, Jay, but we need something solid to get there fast now," Kai replied. "But thanks for trying anyway."

"Agreed," Zane added. "With a desert as vast as this and those people on horseback, we need something that can cut our search time in half just to find them. In addition, we also need a contingency plan that will help us defeat the Serpentine if ever…" his stomach churned at what he was going to say next. "They do turn into giant snakes."

"He's right." Lloyd continued. "I don't mean to be a pessimist, but what if we don't get there in time, we should at least have a plan. One giant snake is tough enough to take down, but five? I don't see a way out of that, as of right now anyway."

"There may be a way to do both, but it is less than pleasing," Master Wu spoke once more, although very hesitant if he should continue.

"And what's that?" The old man didn't say another word, turning from the group, as if regretting what he just said.

"Uncle, we need to know." Lloyd approached him, looking deep into his eyes. "If there's a chance we can defeat them, we should take it no matter what." After a long pause, he finally gave in.

"Dragons."

"I'm sorry, Master Wu, did you say 'dragons'?" Cole asked in disbelief.

"Master, dragons have been extinct for thousands of years," Nya added. "And even if there were existing dragons, where are we going to find them?"

"We don't need to find them. They are made."

"Dare I ask what they're made of?" Jay asked.

"Anyone who is willing to become one."

"Wait a minute," Kai interrupted. "You're telling me, that there is a spell to turn someone into a dragon?!"

"It is a spell that I myself have never performed in my life. But it is indeed doable."

"So, by becoming dragons, we can cover more ground, and we can actually go toe to toe against those monsters!" Cole exclaimed becoming excited. "I like it. Scary, but let's do it. It's not like we have time for another plan when one's sitting right in front of us."

"But I'm sensing there is a catch in this spell somewhere," Zane interjected. "Isn't there, Master Wu?"

"Very perceptive of you, Zane. Yes, there is a catch. You see, the reason, I have never performed such a spell, because, in order to do it: one would have to give up their own life." Silence filled the room.

"No. No, there has to be another way," Nya said. "Maybe there's another spell that has equal strength but does not require anyone dying."

"I am afraid there isn't one, Nya. Believe me. I have looked through every spell book and this is the only way to defeat the Serpentine."

"Then let me do it, Master," Nya pushed. "Jamanakai can't lose you. But it can lose me without a problem."

"I'm not letting that happen!" Kai gripped Nya's hand tight.

"Neither will I," Jay moved closer to the water mage. Nya sighed.

"Look, we don't have time for this. Every second we waste time arguing, the Serpentine are getting further and further away!"

"I'm afraid it's not that easy, Nya," Master Wu explained. "The spell was specifically made by mine and Garmadon's father. He made sure that a direct descendant of his—specifically one who had powers over light, creation, or energy—could do the spell. What he did not anticipate was that the effects of the spell were so great, it drained the entire life force of the person when he transformed the person's body into that of a dragon. I know this because he tried to do it to me and Garmadon. But he stopped the spell midway when he felt his life force leaving him faster than he thought. He nearly died had he not have the strength to stop himself. Which is why I'm the only one who can do it."

Lloyd's eyes filled with tears. This can't be happening. Not again. He just lost his father, his mother is missing, and now he's about to lose his uncle as well? Not caring who was in the room, he wrapped his arms around Master Wu, latching onto him as hard as he could.

"I won't let you do this, Uncle. Not after Dad left. You can't leave me too." Everyone else could feel the weight of the decision on their shoulders. Wu simply patted his nephew's head and stroked his golden hair.

"It will be alright, Lloyd. You're strong. You can carry on without me. And we all know that our duty is always to the people, and not to ourselves. Did you not vow that yourself when you ascended as governor?"

"I know, but it did not have to be at the cost of your death!"

"Do not worry, my boy. Everything will be fine." Wu gently pulled Lloyd away from him and approached the table. Everyone forced themselves to draw closer, stomachs churning in dread with what they were about to do.

"I know this is difficult for all of you. But right now, you are the last line of defense between the Serpentine and Jamanakai, and perhaps, the world as we know it. Therefore, I implore you to be strong and to look out for each other once the spell is complete."

"Wait," Cole forced himself to speak. "If we do this, how many dragons are we talking here?"

"I believe everyone in this room is enough. I don't know if I can turn an entire army into dragons, but the key to the success of this spell is dynamics. I have seen how you all interact. You have the makings of a great team. In order to make a team of dragons, there must be proper communication, which will be done telepathically. That means you will all be hearing each other's thoughts all the time. Therefore, the less of you the better. However, if you can learn to think as one mind, the rest is easy. Let your hearts take flight, and let your instincts guide you in the air."

Everyone looked at each other, then at Zane. They understood that they probably had a so-called bond since they've been friends for years. But Zane, he just appeared in their lives. And yet, they felt this respect and trust for him, like they had known him their whole lives. Eyes lighting up with determination, they all nod in agreement.

"Alright, let's do it."

"For Jamanakai."

"For the rest of the world."

"For Lord Garmadon."

"For Mom and Dad."

"For those who cannot protect themselves."

Wu weakly but happily smiled at the young people around him. "I suppose we should begin immediately. General, I expect you have guards around every corner, while my mages will set up the barrier once more."

"Yes, Master Wu." With that, Cole left the war room.

"What about us?" Nya asked.

"We wait for him to return, then we head to my private garden." When Cole returned, he motioned everyone to move closer to him. Creating a barrier with his hands, Master Wu encased everyone in a giant glass sphere. White smoke began to cover the sphere as everyone looked in awe at what was taking place. A moment later, the smoke dissipated and gone was the war room, and they were greeted with lush greenery and a small pond, and a stone façade carved with a familiar face.

'Dad.' Lloyd approached the tomb and kneeled in respect. Everybody did the same.

"Come." Wu's voice came from behind them. "We do not have much time. Create a semi-circle, all of you." The six of them did as they were told. Wu's eyes darted to Pixal, who was resting on Zane's shoulder.

"Zane, I am afraid you'll have to leave your pixie behind. I'm going to need her here as the only one who can help prepare things for and after my death." Everyone shuddered at the word but no one objected. Pixal immediately flew to the old man, and he began to whisper something in her ear. It was a lengthy instruction, but Pixal retained it all, word for word, and flew out of the garden and into school grounds.

"Do not worry about her," Wu assured Zane. "She will do her part. The real question is: are you ready to do yours?" They all looked at each other once more before giving a simultaneous nod.

"Nya, come here." Nya approached and Wu also whispered something into her ear. Nya's eyes widened after hearing everything but she nodded and immediately went back into position, leaving the young men in a state of curiosity.

"The ritual begins now! Everyone, stand still, and close your eyes. Clear your mind and focus on my voice alone." Wu raised his arms in the sky, as a white and golden aura emanated from his body. He then gestured to each one of them.

"Kai, you have the fire that burns deep inside. It burns bright to protect the ones you love." Kai then began to glow a red aura.

"Jay, fast as lightning, able to adapt to change and bring light to the darkest moments." Jay began to emanate a dark blue aura.

"Cole, solid as rock, always keeping everyone grounded, ever unshaken to what is wrong and unjust." Cole began to show a black aura.

"Zane, unpredictable and mysterious as ice, yet never failing to be there when you're needed." Zane was enveloped with a white aura.

"Nya, flexible as water, you move with current, but are forced to be reckoned with the tides have turned." Nya was encircled with a light blue aura.

"Lloyd, my beloved nephew, the world has been unfair to you, but you have the strength to push through it all. The light in your heart will never be extinguished, and the you have the power to create change as long as you believe it is possible." Lloyd's body radiated with a green aura.

Wu continued to move his arms in circular motion until he rested his arms at chest level. "I release my spirit into the Spirit Realm in exchange that these chosen ones before me become the greatest creatures who walked the earth. Let them take flight as one mind! Let them fight for what is right and just. And let their hearts be forever unclouded by wrong judgement as they soar through the skies and defeat the trials that lay ahead. This I give my spirit for. Dragons, for my life."

A large ripple of light exploded from Wu's body as his aura is divided into six, each being absorbed by the people before him. As each of them absorbed the old man's life force, a surge of energy and pain ran throughout their entire body. They screamed, groaned, yelled as they felt their body expand. They felt themselves being lifted off the ground as something sharp began to pierce the inside of their backs. Wings began to sprout from their backs while scales began to cover their skin like armor. Their faces began to elongate and they felt their teeth and nails sharpening. But the weirdest and most uncomfortable thing they probably felt was the tail sprouting from their rear. When they opened their eyes, everything was clearer, more vivid. They slowly floated downward, back onto the ground. As they silently took in their surroundings, moving their new appendages, voices began to invade their heads all at once.

 _What's happening? You guys alright?_

 _Whoa, who said that?_

 _This is getting really weird you guys._

 _Everybody just focus. Don't say anything in your mind unless you have to._

 _Will do, Zane._

 _Okay, but what am I thinking right now?_

 _Jay, shut it._

 _Wait, where's Master Wu?_

Turning around, they saw the figure of an old man, limp and lifeless, lying on the stone floor. The green dragon was the first to move, nudging his uncle, asking him to wake up.

 _I'm sorry Lloyd. He's gone._

Lloyd slowly backed away from his uncle and began walking away from the garden.

 _Let's go. I think we should take flight at the gates, lest we blow things away._

Everyone followed Lloyd's lead and walked towards the gates.

 _Where are all the students and teachers from the school? You think seeing six huge dragons would cause a commotion._

 _That's probably what Pixal was asked to do. Keep everyone in the school at bay until we fly out of here._

 _This is so weird. Walking on four feet._

 _That's what got you weirded out? We have tails!_

 _Hey watch where you swish that thing!_

 _Relax, everyone. We can do this. Master Wu believed in us. So, we should to. Let's not put these abilities to waste._

 _Hey, Nya, what did my uncle whisper to you?_

 _He just told me to remember stay focused and work together as a team._

 _Yeah, but why tell you alone? That's pretty off._

 _Wu's always been cryptic. He has his reasons. So trust him._

As they reached the gates, which began to open at Lloyd's presence, Lloyd began to stretch his wings. He looked down at the cliff below, a tinge of fear coming over him. But with the combined minds of his friends, this fear disappears instantly. And then, instinct takes over. Lloyd jumped and spread his wings, signaling the others to follow. At first it was difficult, getting their wings to coordinate, and their voices clashing against each other. But after some practice they finally got the hang of it.

 _Guys, we're actually flying! We're flying!_

 _Pfft! That's no surprise to me._ Jay zoomed ahead, spinning around before slowing down to join his teammates. Then an idea occurred to him. _Hey guys, let's fly in a v-formation like a bunch of geese!_

 _This isn't an aerial show, Jay._

 _No just here me out. Geese fly in v-formations because they provide additional lift and less air resistance. That way we're spending less energy for a longer flight session._

 _Allowing us to save up energy for the big fight._

 _Exactly!_

 _Alright, let's do it._

 _I'll take the front. Jay and Kai take the second row. Nya and Zane, take the third. Lloyd…_

 _Don't worry, I'll be at the back. No problem._

Everyone began to move into formation, agreeing to take turns when the one in front was getting tired. As they flew, focusing on what lay ahead. Within an hour they reached the desert.

 _Okay, so what are we looking for? Because I have no idea what Ouroboros looks like._

 _I heard Ouroboros means "snake eating its own tail". I think that means the city is circular in its planning._

 _Well whatever it looks like, as long as we got these eyes, we can spot them pretty easily._

 _Good. Because I see them dead ahead!_

 **OMG! What's this?! An update? Hello everyone! I'm finally back! I'm sorry I've been gone for so long, and I didn't even leave a note in my last chapter. Honestly, I wrote that chapter out of stress from my thesis. But good news is that I've finally finished my college degree, but no sooner had I left university, I've been in and out of the hospital due to health reasons. So that's why it took even longer for me to post again. But I'm back, and I intend to finish this fic! So, hang in there, dear readers! We're almost through with this ride! Thank you for your reviews, NinjagoMLP77, TheAmberShadow, BrightBlueSkies, The Mayor of Ninjago City, Jens, Energy BlastNinjaWriter, Guest, GLACIER 3, Stydealized, and Minecraft, for your reviews in Chapters 13 and 14. I didn't get to thank you last time. And even for those who don't review but read my story, I thank you all the same.**

 **Also, some more news: I'm planning to do commissions soon! If you guys are interested, send me a message, or if you're curious to see my works, you can check them out at my Deviantart page**

 **Till next chapter ~ SnowflakeShard**


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